Free Hours for Three
by Crazy Foxie
Summary: Ever wondered what Meta Knight and his loyal sidekicks do behind the scenes while Kirby gets all the screen time? A collection of behind-the-scene episodes with Meta Knight as the star.
1. 1: It's Here! the Pink Visitor!

**A/N:** Hmmm, looks like people in Kirby don't really write author's notes…

Anyway, to the greetings! I'm Crazy Foxie and I'm a fan of the 'Hoshi no Kaabii' series. Since I watch the Japanese version, I'll use the Japanese names for everyone and the episode titles will be of what its translation is. The point of this story is to show everyone what Meta Knight really acts like and that he's not as perfect as he seems, but that's for later chapters.

So now, here's the chapter! I'll explain how it works at the end.

**Disclaimer:** All characters and settings belong to Nintendo. And HAL, I think.

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**/\/\/\/\ Episode 1: It's Here! The Pink Visitor! /\/\/\/\**

"Sir Meta Knight, there seems to be activity in the town," Blade reported as he entered his lord's room. He smiled as he saw the weapons hung up on the opposite wall, then looked round the room.

The floor was marble like the rest of the castle and an orange rug was placed slightly to one side, where they had often discussed past events. There was a wooden chair there where Meta Knight always sat whilst him and Sword Knight sat on the rug. On the far end of the room, there were a few stairs leading up to their storage cupboard, which was where their futons were replaced after every night. Along the wall, there were old weapons which Sword and Blade had put up with Meta Knight's permission, and on a shelf, there was a jar of sweets the two were permitted not to touch. This proved a mission to get to the small cupboard behind it, where a window was concealed.

A raised platform to his right was Meta Knight's favourite area. Tatami covered the platform, and a paper lantern set in one corner was off. The low table against the wall provided a good area for all three to immerse themselves into the books lined up on the shelf above it. Meta Knight had hung up a watercolour scroll near the door to make this side more oriental.

However, Meta Knight himself wasn't in the room.

Blade withdrew from the room and closed the door, shaking his head to Sword beside him. Sword looked down the corridor.

"He's probably on the balcony." Sword led the way down the stone corridor, Blade in his wake.

"Think he's on the battlements?" Blade heard the warrior laugh softly.

"Since when is he not?"

The open air was welcoming as they continued down the hallway. The balcony had no door leading to it, so they were soon able to find Meta Knight standing upon the peak of the battlements.

"There seems to be some sort of commotion," contemplated Meta Knight as his servants approached him. Sword gave a pointed look at Blade.

"It seems a visitor's come to Pupupuland," Blade informed. "Some were repeating the name 'Kirby of the Stars'. Is that who we're looking for?"

Meta Knight appeared to take more interest in the stirring crowd below, but his subordinates knew he was listening at the same time. He simply continued watching.

"A starship," he muttered blankly. "Judging by the poor landing, he must not know how to control it yet." He turned round to the pair waiting for his command.

"Then we have to train him," Blade said. "If he's the one who's going to save Pupupuland, there's no way he's going to stand a chance at the moment." He lowered his head pensively.

Meta Knight jumped down from the merlon and wrapping his cape around himself instantly, he went through the doorway. Sword and Blade shrugged at each other, before following him down the corridor.

He led them back down the hallway back to the comforts of their room, where he went straight to the books. Blade closed the door behind him before seating himself on the tatami. Meta Knight removed a faded volume from the shelf and set it on the table. Sword and Blade leaned closer from either side as their leader flicked through its pages.

"'Demon Beasts will continue to multiply after the battle for justice'," read out Meta Knight. "'Many stars will be targeted and some will even cease to exist. One of these stars, Pupupuland, will be saved by the Star Warrior. Exceeding space-time, the Star Warrior will aid not only the village, but the universe itself; Kirby of the Stars.'"

"So Kirby of the Stars will bring peace to this village?" Sword questioned.

"It's most likely the same Kirby the legend tells of," Meta Knight explained, slowly closing the book. He looked at his followers in turn. "Kirby was awakened too early, which could cause us some problems."

"Problems?" Blade quizzed.

Meta Knight nodded solemnly. "His Majesty thinks I'm his loyal bodyguard. It's likely he'll try to eliminate Kirby since he's a hassle for Nightmare. If we're to train him at the same time, his Majesty would have less trust in us."

Sword nodded in agreement. "That does seem a bother…"

"We just have to be seriously discrete, that's all," Blade pointed out. "He won't suspect us as long as we_ appear_ to be loyal."

"That'll work. How come he's appeared now, though?" Sword pondered.

"A Star Warrior's ship detects where Demon Beasts are," the leader clarified lazily. "The mayor's shepherd was complaining to his Majesty only this morning his sheep had been eaten by a giant monster."

"That must be the Demon Beast." Fingering the hilt of his sword, the tallest knight continued to think. "This would be a good situation to see what exactly Kirby is capable of."

Meta Knight showed his agreement by sighing softly. "We'll find the destined saviour at night, when the Demon Beast decides to turn up. Until then…" He lied down on his back. "We have to wait."

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N:** First chapter's first episode, naturally. Sorry it's a bit short, but there's only so much I can write.

I won't do it for every single episode since that would take far too long. The ones I'll miss out are the ones that are self explanatory and the ones which have crazy plots (Dynababy and the Robodog, for instance).

I will, however, take requests on one condition: the episode takes place after the one I've written, meaning I won't go back to do it for you if you request too late. Simply the episode number is fine, however specifying when about would be helpful also. My definition of unworthy episodes may not be the same as yours, so there may be a chance I'll miss out the one you'd want me to write about. The episode doesn't necessarily have to have Meta Knight in it, so don't feel pressurised! Hope this mass of information hasn't confused you :)

If there are two contradicting requests, I'll probably end up including both in the chapter ;p

Leave a request either through a review or a PM. Or, if you don't want to leave requests, let me know what you thought of the chapter in general in a review! Next chapter will be 'Episode 6: Check it out! Channel DDD!' Unless there's an earlier request!


	2. 3: What! Battle with Sir Meta Knight?

**A/N:** Here's the next chapter of the Meta Knight Chronicles, you could say. As requested by Casiana1, this centralises around episode three. I was, however uncertain which area to focus on, so guess what? I did both of them ;p The first half will be before Meta Knight sends the letter, the second part will be his thoughts after the episode.

Hope this satisfies your Meta Knight craving and thanks for all the reviews! :)

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**/\/\/\/\ Episode 3: What! Battle with Sir Meta Knight? /\/\/\/\**

"You're actually agreeing to this?" Blade whispered as the trio left Dedede's throne room. His head turned expectantly to Meta Knight, but the Star Warrior avoided eye contact. Sword at Meta Knight's other side shrugged.

Meta Knight opted to speak when they were out of earshot of Dedede and his advisor Escargon. "It has to be done." He hugged his blue cloak closer. "With His Majesty being my superior, there was no option but to comply."

Sword raised a hand hesitantly. "I'm sure we'll be able to train Kirby at the same time." Blade nodded in agreement.

Meta Knight turned to them slightly, still progressing down the stone corridor. "It would be highly difficult. No doubt about it, His Majesty would want to make sure the task will be fulfilled." He sighed, shaking his head slightly.

Blade and Sword exchanged a look. If Dedede was going to watch them, then training Kirby at the same time as killing him would be complex.

The two followed Meta Knight back to his room, where he made a beeline for the desk. They were about to join him on the tatami, when Meta Knight suddenly issued an order.

"Get me a pen and paper," he said almost to himself, but Blade heard him. He went to the cupboard where various things as well as their futons were. The bottom shelf served as the area for the bedding, but the top shelf was very disorganised, to say the least.

He grabbed the things his boss wanted, before saying, "Did you want the stamps as well?" Upon seeing Meta Knight give a curt nod, the swordsman dove into the cupboard to search for the requested item.

"Stamps? Are you planning to write a letter?" Sword asked. He had never seen Meta Knight write, let alone a letter. It puzzled him. "Wouldn't it be easier to speak to him personally?"

A smile flashed under Meta Knight's mask. "As much as I would like to, a letter's a lot more formal. It also gives him a little bit of time to think about it. Thanks, Blade," he commented as his subordinate put the stationery on the desk. He picked up the pen and smiled at it fondly. "I wonder when the last time I held a pen was."

"Sir," Sword addressed him firmly. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of the pen twirling in Meta Knight's hands. "Considering you can't even remember when you last wrote, perhaps it's not a good idea for you to write."

The puffball looked up. "Things like that don't get forgotten easily. Now." He lifted the pen to the right hand side of the paper, but the nib remained centimetres from it. His hand seemed to be frozen. "How do you spell 'Kirby'?"

Sword and Blade sighed heavily. "We'll write it for you, just tell us what you want us to write."

"I was only joking," Meta Knight said offhandedly as Blade took the pen from his grasp and moved the paper closer to him.

"Even so," Sword began, "we'll write it for you."

After a few minutes which seemed like hours writing the letter, they successfully managed to put down in words the situation. It was polite but stern, exactly how Meta Knight would say if he had to do it face to face. They had decided not to include his name at the end since his seal was on the back of the envelope.

As they progressed out of the castle, Waddle Doo noticed the swordsmen and ordered the bridge to be lowered for them.

"Thanks for the trouble," Meta Knight mumbled as he walked past Waddle Doo, not even pausing.

It was nice to leave the castle once in a while, and Meta Knight appreciated the temporary freedom as he winded down the earthy track. He was even relaxed enough to let go of both ends of his cloak, leaving both hands free. One held the letter.

Blade leaned towards Sword to whisper, "He's actually doing it." Blade watched his lord confidently stride down the path in front of him. If it wasn't such a public place, he would have started singing by now.

"Of course he wouldn't back out of a duel," Sword muttered in reply. "It's training. And knowing him, he'll probably find some way or another provoke Kirby so he doesn't back down. I just hope he knows what he's doing."

They were in the town square now. The excited chatter which was present gradually died down as the residents noticed the trio. Cappies were now looking at them with astonished faces and began quietly whispering to their nearest friend. The once friendly atmosphere seemed to turn tense as Meta Knight searched the crowd.

Almost immediately, he made his way towards the tree in the centre of the square. Beneath it, an old Cappy was nodding off there, his eyes hidden underneath silver eyebrows. In an attempt to wake him up, Meta Knight prodded him cautiously.

But the old Cappy rested on.

Lost at what to do, the Star Warrior turned his head questioningly to Blade. However, it was Sword who made a suggestion.

"Just leave it in his bag or something. We've addressed the letter, so it should be able to reach him," Sword advised. Meta Knight gave one look towards him, before leaning over to slip the envelope into the Postmaster's bag. He put it in very slowly, Sword noticed. It was as if he was still thinking about whether the duel was the right thing to do.

But it wasn't that that was troubling him. Meta Knight turned to his followers. "We didn't put down where to meet," he commented blankly.

"Correction: _you _didn't," Blade said smugly, fidgeting with the sash which held his sword. Meta Knight scowled.

"I don't need you to point that out to me, my cocky subordinate." He raised a hand to his temple, but made contact with the smooth metal of his mask instead. "Now, what do you think we should do?"

"Knowing Fumu, she's likely to bring Kirby to Kabu Valley," Sword commented. The Star Warrior pondered for a while before deciding it was worth to go there to meet up.

"Let's go. I need to find a high place to greet them from." Meta Knight saw both of his subordinates' heads lower. "Is something the matter?"

"Why do you _always _want someplace high to appear?" Blade questioned without a second thought. He heard his leader laugh quietly. It could have been loud, but his mask prevented him from knowing exactly.

"First impressions are very important," lectured the puffball. "I need to set off the intimidating factor. Plus I love heights!" He wasn't going to reveal he needed to compensate for his height, even to his loyal followers.

* * *

Meta Knight wrapped his cloak tighter round his body. The icy breeze was getting to him, but he felt no desire to leave. He had already told Sword and Blade to go back to the castle without him, so it was just him and the canopy of branches.

He didn't really know why he felt like standing out here, when the sun was visibly sinking below the horizon. How long had he been here? How long was he going to continue?

He couldn't help but think of Kirby's fight, of how Dedede had once again questioned his loyalty. Where did his loyalty really lie? Was training Kirby as the enemy make him a traitor? That was what Escargon seemed to think, but was it _true_? He was never truly loyal in the first place, just an extra member in his army.

However, Kirby's performance against the Demon Beast was something different. Whilst he was watching the young puffball fight, it made him think of one of his first fights, decades and possibly centuries ago. It had pained him to see him tire, pained him to see him try his best even though he was already weakened thanks to him.

It was all good training nevertheless. He had successfully defeated the Demon Beast Bugzzy. Not only defeating him, but by using the Sword Beam he had taught him in their brief encounter. Just that by itself made him proud to know the galaxy was in good hands.

"It still wasn't enough," something at the back of his mind nagged him. He shook his head tiredly. Even after today's experience, he still felt Kirby wasn't ready with a sword.

In the Galaxy Soldier Army, every member fought with something or another. Swords, arrows, clubs, anything which required some form of skill. Being a mentor to many before him, he could tell both from Kirby's form and ability he was still in the first stage. True, he was progressing very quickly, but he needed to train that little bit more to achieve that title as a worthy swordsman.

And if a Demon Beast happened to arrive during that period, it would either secure that position or flatten him altogether.

He would have to take his chances on the first option if that was the case. It seemed he could do nothing else – it was not in his position to help the young Star Warrior anymore and spoon feed him all the tactics. He had done everything he could to get him started. Now, it was something he had to learn for himself.

The patches of sky which were visible were now a shade of deep purple. The whistling of branches blew fiercely as a strong gust found its way through the maze of trees. Meta Knight remained still as the intense breeze circulated round his feet, making the hem of his cape swirl uncontrollably.

He should be returning soon. Sword and Blade would think he was trying to freeze himself. He looked up at the sky peeking through the curtains of leaves one more time, before turning on his heel to where his instincts told him was the way to Pupu Village.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N: **There, now you've witnessed what a two-part chapter's like. Next chapter will, as you already know, will be 'Episode 6: Check it out! Channel DDD!' I'm accepting requests, so don't hesitate to make your voice heard :) After all, if next episode's the one you want, it might not necessarily be the same area of that episode :)

Please let me know what you thought of it in a review!

**14/6** - I made edits to it as the reviews kindly point out. Thanks for the corrections!

**22/8 **- Changed Pupupu Village to Pupu Village. It's only this chapter that has the problem though...with anything.


	3. 6: Check it out! Channel DDD!

**A/N: **Episode 6 is next! And, just so you know, this is my real first stab at humour. Didn't really turn out how I wanted it, but hope it appeals to you! And, finding out there's a fireplace opposite the door after I wrote this chapter, I've decided to keep it as it is since there was no fireplace behind it in episode 6. Hah! Plot holes! Let's just say they haven't built it yet, okay?

The first part's when the television arrives, the second part's when Fumu just left them.

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**/\/\/\/\ Episode 6: Check it out! Channel DDD! /\/\/\/\**

"What is this?"

Sword had asked the exact same question Meta Knight was thinking. The three of them were surprised enough when Waddle Doo knocked on the door, and now he had ordered a pair of Waddle Dee to bring in a strange cardboard box.

"It's a television," Waddle Doo explained. "The broadcast starts at noon on the dot. Don't miss it out, any of you." His violet eye looked at each knight in turn, before turning to leave their room.

"Will this…television be sent to every home?" Meta Knight suddenly asked to Waddle Doo's back.

"Naturally," he replied, "since it is the King's order. Have fun watching!" He soon went out the room, closing the door behind him.

The box containing the television was set in front of them, still in its box. It was a light shade of brown, with the logo of Dedede and the letters 'TV' printed on one side. Blade squatted down by it, turning his head in different directions in curiosity.

"A television," he commented. "I've heard about them back at home. They're an electrical device which shows us what's happening around the city and also serve as entertainment. Apparently, it's bad for your eyes if you sit too close to it though."

Under his helmet, Sword narrowed his eyes. "Dedede's definitely behind it, but how do we uncover the truth?" He too stared at the box in confusion.

"I guess it's one of those things where you just have to wait and see," their leader said, dragging the chair across the orange carpet. "It would be interesting to see what His Majesty is trying to do by being part of the crowd."

"But Sir Meta Knight…!" Blade exclaimed, stopping himself when he made eye contact with the Star Warrior's placid gaze. "We'll unpack it." He tore off the green tape at the top of the box, forcing the flaps open.

"I'll help," Sword offered, rushing to Blade's side. Together, they lifted up another box. This one had smoother edges, and it was red with several dials down the front. A wire dangled from it as Sword and Blade lifted it out of the cardboard box. Meta Knight took hold of the wire just when it was about to drop to the floor.

"Put it on the chair for the time being," Meta Knight ordered. The pair holding the television nodded, gradually making their way across the room.

When the television was set securely on the chair, Sword and Blade automatically went to the table on the oriental side of the room. Without their boss even saying so, they knew the seat was for him and that the television would have to be put on the table.

Meta Knight stood to one side as the two knights lifted and moved the table to the carpeted area of the room. He continued watching them as they set it down near the wall and lifted the television onto it, the screen facing him.

It was a strange thing, Meta Knight decided. How this small box could broadcast news or some form of entertainment was something he was curious about. Blade ran a hand on the wall, finding the place to put the wire through and pushed the plug through the socket.

"I never knew we even _had_ a socket in this room," Sword murmured as he pushed one end of the table closer to the wall.

"That's understandable. We never had a chance to put anything through it," Blade whispered back, moving round to push the table on his end in line with the wall. "I do hope people round here know not to sit too close to the screen…" He jerked his head pointed to Meta Knight, who was already pushing his seat a little bit closer.

"I hope so too," Sword agreed.

* * *

"There's definitely something strange about this Demon Beast," Sword muttered sternly, warily turning towards Meta Knight.

"This must be His Majesty's plot," Meta Knight concluded instantly. "A Demon Beast arriving and the news being broadcasted almost immediately is certainly suspicious. I'm sure this box gives pretty prompt information, but this is beyond it."

Blade nodded to confirm his point. "Perhaps it's just to boost his self esteem, similar to how these other programmes do." He took his eyes off the screen, looking at his boss for his orders.

Meta Knight's eyes narrowed under his mask as he heard the Demon Beast's high pitched voice roar something which sounded more like 'Kirby' rather than something an average Demon Beast would make. "Sword, come see where the Demon Beast is with me. Blade, carry on watching."

Sword obediently got up and went to the door, Meta Knight getting out of his chair with little enthusiasm. As Sword gripped the door handle, he heard the scraping of the jar on the window sill. Meta Knight nudged the glass jar off the shelf and caught it just when it was about to slip off.

Placing the jar under the window sill, Meta Knight straightened himself and opened the right shutter. Sword rushed to his side and opened the other shutter wide.

"Is the Demon Beast still in the forest, Blade?" Meta Knight commanded.

"It's heading towards the Mayor's house," was the reply, and the pair at the window tilted their heads towards the wooden hut. It looked ordinary, with its blue roof and peaceful air. There were no thunderous sounds of falling vegetation or screaming, except the robotic sounds which issued from the television.

"I don't see it," Sword concluded blankly. "Do you, Sir?"

Meta Knight didn't answer, instead looking away from the window and glancing at the television screen again. The slug-like Demon Beast had now apparently flattened the Mayor's house, gradually approaching nearer to the village.

But there were no sounds which matched the television outside the room.

"Carry on watching if you want, Sword." The puffball sighed heavily before unscrewing the lid of the sweet jar. "Nothing helps me think more than a candy," he muttered to himself. Sword gave him a concerned look before taking his seat back next to Blade.

Meta Knight perched himself near the edge of the tatami opposite the window, the sunlight hitting his face serenely. There was definitely no Demon Beast, no matter what reports on the television said. Unlike those Cappies, he knew that.

So what was the purpose of the non-existent news? Was it really to boost the King's self esteem, as Blade said? And if that was the case, then what did this have to do with eliminating Kirby?

"_Out with Kirby. Out with Kirby..._"

The chant made Meta Knight's thoughts stop immediately. Glancing towards his subordinates' direction to ask whether they heard it too, he opened his mouth in silent shock.

The pair of them were approaching him drowsily, each foot shuffling in front of the other as if it was a difficult task to do all of a sudden. White pupils could be seen under Sword's visor, a solid colour against the black shadows. Blade's pale eyes were prodding slightly out of his head guard, and Meta Knight couldn't say who looked scarier.

"What's wrong?" he asked, getting to his feet hastily. The chant continued, then he realised that it came from Sword and Blade. As the result of trying to walk backwards, he tripped over the raised platform and fell flat on his back.

"_Out with Kirby_," Sword continued to chant, but now he was the only one who was saying that.

"_That's Kirby_," Blade observed. "_He's hiding under that mask and cape_."

His eyes widened in shock when he heard Blade's words. Getting up and standing in a defensive stance, he said hurriedly, "You've got to be joking."

"_You're right_," Sword agreed, taking out his weapon from its scabbard. Evidently, he had sided with Blade rather than Meta Knght.

Blade nodded, taking out his own sword. "_Let's force him out_!"

Meta Knight barely had the time to take out Galaxia before the pair charged at him. Dodging their combined attack, he watched them bang head on into the wall. He cringed at the sound of the dull thud, ashamed to have such mindless people as his subordinates. "It's come to this. I'll be willing to fight you, but I don't want you ruining my room."

He made sure the pair were watching him, before he dashed out the room through the door.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N: **There, that's that episode done. Sorry it took so long, but hey, it's done now! Next episode will be 'Episode 9: Lololo and Lalala, Melody of Love' unless there's a request, as always. Thanks for reading and please leave a review on what you thought!


	4. 9: Lololo and Lalala, Melody of Love

**A/N: **I know, I'm actually updated this fic! How long has it been, exactly...? I had…rather little motivation for this chapter but, thanks to my li'l break from the computer, I managed to get few ideas and how to arrange them :) So now, it's one step closer to the one you're waiting for, whatever that may be!

I have to say, I really don't like this - there's far too much dialogue! But I really needed to cram in a lot, and the number of words was getting rather ridiculous, even for me.

Yet again, this is another attempt of humour, so sorry if it sucks since I can't write humour particularly well. Regardless, enjoy the chapter and sorry for the wait!

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 9: Lololo and Lalala, Melody of Love /\/\/\/\**

Another clutter outside and a few more shouts was enough for Sword to raise his head.

"I don't think this is normal, Sir," the taller knight commented, eying the door cautiously. Whatever was out there was dangerous, and if it managed to burst through the door, it would cause a few problems. Getting up slowly, he rested a hand on his sword's hilt as a precaution.

Meta Knight, at the table with Blade, didn't have to look up to see his subordinate's uneasiness. "Relax, we're not called for today." He turned another page of the book they were reading together.

"But still, how do you know the demon beast Dedede bought isn't dangerous?" Sword removed his hand from his defensive stance, but still remained standing.

"I didn't say it wasn't dangerous," the puffball told the troubled knight simply.

Sword, even though Meta Knight didn't really answer his question, took it as a sign to sit back and leave Kirby to do it. He had no choice but to trust Meta Knight and believe in his decision. Trusting in him had grown to be a second nature, and if he said they should do nothing, they will do nothing. Reluctantly, he took his place back down next to Blade.

"What are you two reading anyway?" he questioned, leaning over to peek at a few words on the page. It proved to be a difficult task, since the text was extremely small, and Blade had his hand on the majority of the closer page anyway.

The said warrior didn't raise his head. "_The Power of Courage_, apparently. I don't see why we're reading this though." He lifted his hand to see the rest of what the book had to say.

"That's the strangest book I've ever seen," Sword directed to his superior, leaning his head onto the wooden table as if that was the way to talk to him. The puffball on the opposite side stopped reading his sentence and lifted his head.

"No matter how strange you think it is, I want you to at least give it a try."

Sword took this as an order and, without taking his eyes off his leader, he sat down. "What kind of people would actually write about courage? Look how thick this thing is!" He lifted a few sheets, letting them seep through his fingers to make his point. The paper fluttered down with a slight whisper, the sound almost comforting as Meta Knight and the green armoured knight watched them pile up.

The last knight was evidently annoyed at this, since he slammed a hand down onto the right side before the last few pages had left Sword's hand.

"There was no need to do that!" he yelped, nursing the hand which was unfortunately in Blade's path. He was expecting either of the two to apologise, or even show some form of sympathy, but they remained silent.

Meta Knight's eyes were firm on Blade's hand, still on top of the pages. As if he had silently requested for it, Blade obediently slid his hand off the book. The corners where his hand was were folded from the sudden pressure, the little triangles pointing to the wall.

The knight recoiled slightly as his leader eyed the folded corner. "I'm sorry Sir," Blade mumbled hurriedly, taking each sheet of paper and folding the triangle backwards so that it evened out. Before he managed to get all of the triangles levelled out, a gloved hand suddenly found its way onto his.

"It's an old book anyway. Don't worry about it," Meta Knight said calmly as he pried Blade's hand away from the corner.

The knight's mouth opened in shock, for the sudden act of dismissal was something which didn't come often. Usually, he would have said something along the lines of how much disrespect it was, or how careless he was. He chose to remain silent.

Meta Knight felt a smile creep up, but he didn't let the emotion rise into his eyes. "Let's continue." The both looked down at the pages, gathering information from the words which seemed to spout perplexing meanings.

However neither of the two complained, and they continued to sit together, silently reading. The only sounds in the room were the steady breathing and the occasional crinkling as Sword turned the page. It was almost a content atmosphere, the way they shared one book, one purpose. The spell lingered as each person only thought of the text, losing track of time and everything around them.

Another clatter rang out, much closer than the previous ones.

"…Maybe we should see what's going on." The puffball brought the book closer to him without waiting for the pair to finish their sentence and closed it with care. The words on its cover were so faded it was difficult to tell where the title was, and the spine was almost broken on one side. It was apparent it had been used many times before today.

The pair watched their leader get to his feet, holding the book in both of his hands. He stood there for a while, in deep thought about something, before passing it wordlessly over Blade's head to the other knight.

Sword grinned under his helmet, taking the item from the puffball. "Who do you think is making the noise – the demon beast or Kirby?"

Even though the question wasn't directed at him, Blade replied, "The demon beast, of course." Resting one hand on the table, he got up steadily with his eyes downcast. "Kirby normally gets thrashed around at first. To be honest, it hurts to see him like that."

"No one's asking you to come along," Meta Knight reasoned, already at the door.

Blade hesitated. He found his selfish request as something Meta Knight should have been angry about, but his reaction was completely different. As if he was let down. "It's all right, I'll come along."

Once they were outside the comforts of their room, they could tell the commotion was a lot closer than they thought.

The level tiling had several small dents in it, as if something found it worthwhile to stomp up and down the corridor. Several of the lamps hanging on the walls were shattered and the jagged lines formed made the impression that someone had cut it with a blade. The glass was now strewn across the ground like confetti, evidently waiting for the Waddle Dees to sweep up the remains.

They only admired the view for a short while. Meta Knight looked up and down the corridor swiftly, before heading down one end without a backwards glance. No sooner had he taken a few steps, he came face to face with a flying blue puffball.

The wide eyes just stared back, seemingly at a loss of what to say. His small tail remained rigid, his eyes growing wider by the second. A green puffball, similar in size was in his grasp, swinging happily as if he served as a small reminder time was passing.

"What's the problem, Lololo?" Sword questioned as he and Bl;ade approached the frozen pair.

The hovering puffball looked away, thankful to tear his eyes from Meta Knight's stony gaze. "Sorry, I don't have much time." He tried to push past the masked puffball, but a simple glare made him stop in his tracks. There was something about the way they remained still, as if they knew the situation was a dangerous one.

"Do you have enough time to say who you're holding?"

Lololo swayed uneasily, as if he was struggling to find the right words. After a long stretch of silence, he finally replied, "It's…half of Kirby."

Sword and Blade exchanged glances, but the final knight was unfazed by the answer, almost as if he had expected it. "And his other half's with Lalala?"

Lololo gave a sound to confirm his statement, but it was drowned slightly as footsteps were heard round the corner. Without waiting any longer, the two small puffballs soared past and left the two subordinates still confused.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Sword whispered, curiously not annoyed at Blade any more.

He only had time to say that, for Dedede suddenly rounded the corner, appearing to be out of breath. A metallic monster trooped after him, its four legs flailing as it tried to steady itself on the slabs. Catching sight of the trio, Dedede brought a hand onto the wall, leaning over in exhaustion.

"Meta Knight! Get them, now!"

To everyone's surprise, the puffball shook his head. "Chasing them is not going to make the job easy." He was choosing his words carefully, both to seem helpful to Dedede and to give time for Kirby and Lololo to get a head start.

"What do you suggest, hmmm?" fumed the king, annoyed about the smarmy comment. "I want an explanation!" He removed his hand from the wall and brought his face close to his subordinate, who was eyeing him evenly. It was an interesting sight for Sword and Blade to see, how their leader was in a way higher than the king.

Meta Knight didn't answer immediately. "It would be better if you could somehow corner them. I'll go this way, your Majesty." Without waiting for Dedede's confirmation, he brushed past as if to say he wasn't taking any other questions.

His two subordinates took this as a sign to leave, following after the puffball once they had nodded briefly to the penguin. The machine, seemingly ignored though the whole encounter, brought one of his staffs between the two and Meta Knight, who was still walking away.

"Splitting up and cornering?" he asked in a surprisingly gentle voice. He tapped the staff with a moon on its end lightly on the tiles, the sounds brief and near silent. "Perhaps I should split you with this…"

It seemed to click for Blade, for he grabbed the other knight's hand and ran down the one side of the corridor the staff bearer wasn't blocking. The moon seemed to home in on them, angled in such a way that they were running straight towards the oncoming blade.

Its path was suddenly blocked before it could reach the two. The taller knight nodded, his sword set in the inside curve of the moon. They ducked under the blade and pushed past the demon beast, the sword slipping under the metal like the chain of a swing. The demon beast whirled round, clearly furious with them getting away.

"Kittari Hattari! We're not after them! This way!" For once, Dedede was doing something right as he headed down the opposite side of the corridor. The demon beast rubbed the back of his head for a while, before following the king and continuing their pursuit.

Sword and Blade sighed in enormous relief.

"Somehow, I don't want to do that again," the green armoured one commented, panting heavily as he sheaved his sword. Blade was on his hands and knees, clearly still in shock. It was their first real fight, where they had to battle for survival. That hadn't happened to them since before that day…

Meta Knight stood in front of one wall had obviously watched the scene from there, for he said, "Good job" soon after. He ambled towards the pair, careful not to stand in any of the grooves caused by Kittari Hattari.

The knight on the floor looked up slightly. "He wanted to slice us in two like what he did to Kirby, right?"

Meta Knight nodded solemnly, seemingly oblivious to Sword's bewilderment. "You handled the situation well, even if the motive was slightly different." He looked past his subordinates to where everyone had disappeared to. There was no crashing or shouting, so it was safe to assume Lololo and Kirby hadn't been found yet.

"If that demon beast sliced you, would you be the same size as Lololo and Lalala?" Sword suddenly asked, now that he understood everything. He pondered his own question for a while before snorting. "You'd be even shorter!"

The puffball glared at him, silencing the laughter only a little. He didn't even need to say he was annoyed. "We're going back to silent reading now." He gave him a pointed look, as if daring him to come up with a protest. It was Blade who answered though.

"That book's stupid." He got up, dusting his armour free from debris. "I mean, courage is something you're supposed to _do_, not read about!" Adjusting his strap, he eyed his superior as he waited for a response.

Meta Knight laughed. "Very well, you may both train outside. I'll observe from the roof."

He watched the pair walk down the corridor side by side as they made their way to the garden, not complaining about the sudden change of plan. For in fact, he was hoping one of them would understand the true meaning of the book, how words weren't important. How actions and learning through personal experience was much more important. And their display today made him feel proud as their leader.

"Hey," he heard Blade say as they continued down the corridor, away from him.

"What is it?"

"…I have a stone in my shoe."

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N: **There, the longest chapter ever! Hope you understood where the whole book thing came from, otherwise I'm a seriously bad writer.

So, hope to hear your thoughts of my writing soon! And next chapter will be 'Episode 12: The Ghost of Castle Dedede', as requested by LazloTitan (what is it with the 3 times table?!).


	5. 12: The Ghost of Castle Dedede

**A/N: **It's been a long time since I've updated this. Sorry about that! Anyway, this focuses on the ghost episode – one of the most hilarious episodes, in my opinion :)

This chapter takes place anytime between the beginning and the Dedede confrontation from Fumu's family. Otherwise how else would Meta believe Dedede's behind the whole ghost thing? Or how he knew about it in the first place...

This chapter was requested by LazloTitan. Please read and hope you like it!

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 12: The Ghost of Castle Dedede /\/\/\/\**

Fears can come in many shapes and forms. One single person could hold as many as a dozen, each one piling on top of the other like an extra load of paperwork. For several, fear had been their second shadow, the reason why they live everyday simply worrying when the fear would turn up rather than the fear itself.

But for others, fears are realised just after, or even during, their first encounter.

"Did you hear that?" Sword looked wildly behind him, expecting to see something other than the empty corridor. Torches glowed in their brackets, each one flickering dully.

Blade rolled his eyes. "Was it the same sound as before?"

The tallest knight nodded solemnly, his eyes narrowing as he tried to see beyond the veil of darkness beyond his range of vision. "That's the fourth time I've heard it."

"I'm perfectly aware of that," Meta Knight confirmed, who had evidently been counting the times silently. He raised his lantern higher as he looked up at the ceiling. "Now may we control patrolling without any further interruptions?"

The two knights had to run to catch up with the puffball, so that they still remained in the lantern's pool of light. With them both not having a lantern of their own, it ensured the three stuck together. That was Meta Knight's plan, and it seemed to be working – for the time being.

"Without any further interruptions? I can't help but hear it!" Sword hissed in Blade's ear, obvious hurt in his voice. "I'm _not _going mad, you know!"

Blade tried his best to hide his laughter, but it proved to be a difficult task. "Hearing wind four times without anyone else noticing doesn't make you mad at all," he sneered, prodding his companion squarely on the chest.

The trio continued down the hallway, the light bouncing off each metal surface of their armour. Silence seemed to rebound off each of them, making the open space somehow seem smaller as it playfully made their footsteps slightly muffled.

As painful as the quietness of everything, an unearthly moan resounded, aggrieved and lost.

Meta Knight couldn't see them, but he knew the two knights behind him were clinging to each other for some form of comfort, each pair of eyes wide open. He held his lantern higher, curious rather than afraid of where the sound had come from.

"I told you!" Sword exclaimed, holding Blade's hand in his own tightly. "You don't think it's…"

"A ghost?" the other knight completed, laughing nervously. "Don't be ridiculous."

No sooner had he said this, he gave an involuntary gasp. Each of the glowing torches on the wall faded out one by one, the blackness enveloping them gradually. The flames were snuffed out individually, as if something from down the corridor had blew them all out with a slow exhale. The light emanating from the lantern somehow appeared to get brighter, offering the three safety from the darkness that had now surrounded them.

The paranormal was only down the corridor, but they couldn't see it at all.

Warily, Sword took a step backwards. "Told you."

There was a gulp, but it was unclear who had done it. The pulsing adrenaline improved their senses so that even the quietest of gestures amplified in volume, their ears ringing from the low beat of their hearts.

The seconds passed slowly as the trio remained in their fixed positions, hoping to catch sight of something, anything. With their necks craned and ears twitching like rabbits', they all tried to find the source of the commotion. There had to be something that caused the sudden darkness.

They heard it first – the mournful cry, its screaming bouncing off the walls.

The lamplight stretched further and weaker as the lantern was held forwards. It reflected first off Blade's hilt, then his plume. As if the darkness was burning, he edged closer to Meta Knight, centimetres from the arm on Galaxia's hilt.

There was nothing, then the three saw it in the light's range simultaneously. There was the definite roundness and whiteness as it glided towards them, still making noises. Its tail fluttered gently behind it from the slight breeze, its small arms slightly outstretched.

Screams. Hurried footsteps.

In those few seconds, his followers had deserted him. Ran out the circle of light in fear with their tails between their legs. Evidently, their instincts had told them to run rather than remain put. Meta Knight sighed.

The ghost neared, its facial features and form becoming more apparent. Even though Meta Knight had never seen a ghost before, the atmosphere seemed too perfect. Too artificial.

Just when the ghost was about to pass him, he drew out Galaxia from its sheath into the ghost's path. He held the blade horizontally, one side of the metal running along his arm. Using his left hand proved to be awkward, but he wanted to be sure of one thing.

The puffball's eyes narrowed as the ghost paused in its tracks. It hovered on the spot momentarily before gliding over the sword, intent on passing.

He didn't stop it. He had all the information he needed.

Sheathing the sword, his eyes followed the white sphere down the corridor where Sword and Blade had dashed down earlier. It was nothing more than a ploy, it was as simple as that. If ghosts were real, which was likely thanks to Nightmare, they wouldn't have cared about a sword being in its way. There was no need to inform the King about it – Dedede was probably aware of it already.

However, there was something that still made him uncertain. Carrying the lantern in both hands, he continued patrolling on his own. If there really was a hoax going around, what was its real purpose? Was it to scare for fun, or was there a deeper meaning than that, such as covering up delicate work? Why now?

It was near the throne room that he heard it. A constant tone, almost like a whistle. Unlike the previous sounds, it was more mysterious and eerie. The noise rang in his ears, to the point he didn't know where it was coming from.

"Urameshiya…" a voice wailed, the source emerging from the throne room. Not through the door like an average person, but through the wall. It was real not only by this behaviour, but also for the fact its deep eyes and gaping mouth were prominent under what appeared to be a lilac, translucent hood. Its arms hung by its sides, effortlessly floating.

Meta Knight's eyes widened slightly. "Urameshiya…" he mused, lowering and adjusting the screw on the lantern's side so he could see the being clearer. "Who do you possess a grudge against?"

He raised a free hand towards the ghost, but it dived past him, almost swimming down the corridor. Its tail made the slightest contact with his outstretched hand, creating the odd sensation that his hand had been in heavy rain for hours. He turned to only just catch Urameshiya drift into the ceiling further down the hallway.

The tail disappeared, but Meta Knight's concern had only heightened. Future nights were going to be interesting, to say the least.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N: **I have no idea how to describe ghosts, but hope this chapter was enjoyable nevertheless :) So, any comments, questions or requests? Please leave your thoughts in a review! Next chapter will be 'Episode 13: Pupu Village New Year Fireworks Festival', which I believe was also requested by LazloTitan ;p

I'll do my best to make next update quicker!


	6. 13: Pupu Village New Year Fireworks

**A/N: **Yay, I have updated. Right, this chapter was requested by…-looks on sheet of paper- LazloTitan again ^^. So, hope it's to your liking! The chapter title, according to that drop-down thing, doesn't have festival there since it ran out of space ;p For all those anonymous reviewers, I will do those chapters you requested, never you fear!

Also, this update has the first ever appearance of Fumu :) If I made her too OOC, tell me! There's also a small FumuxSword thing to it for some strange reason – I was only trying to explain the separate ways of Sword and Blade in episode 1!

Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 13: Pupu Village New Year Fireworks Festival /\/\/\/\**

His loyal subordinates were in the castle grounds, training. It was either that or trying to find information from the Cappies. With it being New Year's Eve, it was in their right mind to be curious.

Meta Knight ran a thumb on the table's edge idly. This would be Kirby's first festival, and with Dedede around, it would be a mission alone to make the young puffball live past it.

He exhaled slowly. Kirby was more than able, and the demon beast sent out would only make him stronger.

Wasn't that the ultimate goal?

Getting up slowly, he eyed the weapons along the perimeter of the room. Then to the scroll on the wall directly opposite him.

"'Jade that is not chiselled cannot be a gem', huh?" he recited in an undertone, admiring the brushstrokes for a mere second. Chinese proverbs such as this one could be so accurate it was eerie. It was as if it seemed to draw your attention exactly when it was most vital so that it provided the desired answer required at the time.

Looking away from the painting, he diverted his attention to the window, which had been opened after a few long days.

The proverb was simple. Work was required to make the stone beautiful and have value. However, the outcome of the chiselling had a variety of meanings: character, significance in a community or strength.

Meta Knight smile grimly under his mask. Who was he kidding? The proverb didn't mention who the craftsman was, or what happened if it was left in the fire for too long. For once, the proverb's mystical conclusion didn't mean anything.

The blue puffball observed the still castle gardens once more before closing the shutters.

Everyone was in the town square, preparing for the festivities for tonight. Whilst they were happy with organising the event, Kirby's danger was gradually getting closer. It seemed more ominous when he thought about it that way. Perhaps this time, Kirby wouldn't be able to defeat it. It was always possible that even he won't be able to offer any form of assistance.

The masked Star Warrior, just when he rested a hand on the door handle, knew what he had to do: give his blessing and stand aside as the next generation took over.

* * *

"Sword! Blade!" Fumu was surprised to see the two in the town square, even more so the fact they weren't protecting their leader.

The taller knight looked up. "Fumu-dono," he acknowledged, stopping in his tracks as Bun and Kirby ran past him with different coloured sticks. "Are you preparing anything for the festival?"

She beamed. "We're all making fireworks. It should be done in time for tonight." Glancing over to Kirby, who was now waving his unlit sparkler in Blade's face, she smiled fondly. "I want to make it the best festival ever, so Kirby can enjoy himself."

"I'm sure it'll be a success," Sword encouraged, following her gaze.

The two had always got on like a lock and key. It was by chance it also applied to Blade's liking towards Bun and Kirby. Sword found out during the times with Sir Meta Knight that the Cabinet Minister's daughter had selfless motives and a sharp mind. It was, by itself, a good combination, but rendered useless if there was no confidence – she just seemed to run dry every few moments.

Fumu's eyes glimmered appreciatively, but soon flashed in fury. "Even if I do try my best, that King Dedede's just going to ruin it." She looked down at her hands, thumbs interlocking with each other.

Eyes searching the girl's face, Sword took in every detail. Seeing emotions was something he rarely witnessed – Blade and Sir Meta Knight constantly hid their faces and even their tone of voice in the latter's case. "Well, you'll just have to show him. Keep standing tall with your head held high, then things won't turn out to be so bad."

Her warm smile returned. "Forwards is the only way to go, I guess," she said resignedly, letting her hands fall to her side. "Will you join in?"

Sword's eyes lifted to the playing trio, the boys laughing jovially as they waved the sparklers like a conductor's baton. "No, we'll stay away and…observe from a distance." He met Fumu's puzzled look. "Direct orders from Sir Meta Knight."

In response to the statement, she pouted. "I don't see what's so wrong about an annual celebration. You're supposed to enjoy it with everyone – it's part of our customs, whatever your status."

The knight winced. They _wanted _to celebrate, have fun, but orders were orders.

"Blade, we're going," he shouted, doing his best to cast Fumu's words aside. It wasn't particularly successful – the sounds of chatter drowned out his protests. Turning on his heel, he made his way to leave the square. Grudgingly, Fumu did the same and approached her brother.

The other knave jumped at the sound of his name. "Already?" Blade took a few moments to cast a longing look at Bun lighting the pink puffball's sparkler, before following his comrade.

He managed to catch up with Sword when the bustling in the square had died into a distant buzz. "Where exactly are we going?"

The taller knight took a few seconds to respond. "The top of Kabu's valley should be a good enough view," he replied morosely, head hung low as if gravity had pulled it down. Ironic how the things they would be watching will be soaring _against _gravity, flying to the air totally free of their cardboard prison.

However, once the elements set their colourful display, they disappear. Merge with the air and drift in the wind, trapped once again in their cell. Serving as an invisible nuisance, merely watching the people below and being utterly useless.

Perhaps it was best they remained in the cardboard – at least they could still be a paperweight if needed. Remain loyal to Sir Meta Knight rather than break free.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N: **There, hope it wasn't too depressing or anything like that. But regardless, I would like to hear your thoughts in a review on this different approach – are you all looking for more humorous times, or is this sort of chapter all right?

Next chapter will be 'Episode 14: Face of the Dream Pillow Demon', as requested by Shadowlexis. If you have any other requests, please don't hesitate to give a shout!


	7. 14: Face of the Dream Pillow Demon

**A/N: **Terribly sorry for the late and short update! I had no solid ideas for this episode, but I hope it's all right nevertheless. I have to say though, these chapters seem to be lacking the humour it could have…

So then, this chapter was selected by Shadowlexis. I hope you like it at least!

Anyway, hope you're not too mad and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 14 – Face of the Dream Pillow Demon /\/\/\/\**

It was normal for Meta Knight to wake up first. It was also normal that his two subordinates got up mere seconds after him. However, waking up in the middle of the night was definitely not ordinary.

"I had the weirdest dream," Sword mused, adjusting the helmet set on his head. It was hard to tell why they even bothered sleeping with it on. It was clearly uncomfortable, and he didn't exactly mind if they did have a bit of fresh air. "I dreamt about the time Kirby was fighting that octopus pet. You know, his first fight."

Blade looked up from his feet, intrigued. "That's exactly what happened to me too. Something weird is going on." The soldier narrowed his eyes. "Or do you think this is just a random coincidence?"

As if to confirm his point, Meta Knight shook his head. "I highly doubt it. There has to be a concrete reason for this."

"I'm betting on Holy NightMare here," the taller knight commented unnecessarily. It was clear everyone else was thinking along the same lines. "That dream deprived me of valuable sleep. It's just like them to come up with something like this."

The puffball sighed as he put the bedding in the storage cupboard. The small space was set in the corner, the two shelves within it a reasonable height. Meta Knight placed a pink blanket on top of the pillows. "If the citizens have had a restless night too, then we have a grave situation on our hands."

Blade perched himself on the edge of the tatami. "Do you want us to gather info in town?"

As though he already knew the answer, Sword made his way to the door. "Rest assured, Sir. We won't be seen."

"I'll leave it to you."

* * *

Staying up was certainly Meta Knight's forte. After hearing from his loyal servants that people in the village were all encountering strange dreams too, the puffball had taken things into stride.

Meta Knight leaned against the wall. He guessed it was about two now, the way both his knaves were finally breathing steadily. Or what he could make of it anyway – the helmets were doing a good job smothering the inhales and exhales.

Smiling contently, the puffball gazed towards the ceiling. Staying up gave him an overwhelming, nostalgic sensation and offered the chance for reflection. Not only that, but it amplified after every passing second. He was proud of his knaves, most certainly. He was proud of Kirby, Fumu and Bun too, the way their determination had almost no limits. It brought something to look forward to every day.

A small movement made him lower his chin. He knew it wasn't the sleeping men – that was what instinct told him.

Advancing towards the direction of the source, Meta Knight held his sword's hilt defensively. If it really wasn't Sword or Blade, it was most likely a demon beast.

He saw it again, and it was that time that revealed their location. Meta Knight rested a hand on his own pillow, set aside in one corner along with the pink blanket. It looked incredibly ugly in his opinion, with frilly laces and yellow polka dots. Waddle Doo had given the pillows to them a few days ago, claiming it was a gift from the King.

He could have mentally slapped himself. Of course the pillows would be the source of the commotion.

Feeling for the seam edges, he felt the thing within stiffen. It was certain that it wasn't just feathers in the cushion.

An armless, orange sphere looked back at him as Meta Knight broke a few threads. Nightcap hung almost directly over its eyes, which were wide and lost. The cap noticeably had the same design as the pillow – not a good sign. How the Cappies could sleep on top of the unfortunate creature every night, the puffball had no idea.

He was aware of the demon beast's discomfort, so he closed off the pillow's folds from the outside air. It was definite the creature will remain there. At least until morning.

Now that he thought about it, he went towards the storage cupboard. He was able to locate what he was looking for, and drew out a spare pillow pad. Glancing back at the pillow containing the demon beast, he groaned. The cover only protected the centre of the pillow rather than the whole thing – surely that would make it get dirty quicker?

If that was the case, then perhaps there was a reason why the pillow was only half covered.

He sat himself on the tatami's edge. When Sword and Blade wake up, they should research together into what exactly they're up against.

But, judging from the fact that the demon beast was in the pillow, its speciality was making people dream. It was only a matter of time before the true objective became clear. For that to happen, he needed to wait for the next dream.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N: **I know it's incredibly sloppy. Anyone got any suggestions as to how to make it better? Was it all right? I would love to hear your responses to this update! :)

Next chapter will be 'Birth? Kirby's Little Brother' as requested by Ice the Rabbit. That's going to be classic…


	8. 15: Birth? Kirby's Little Brother

**A/N: **Hey, long time no see! Again with the massive delay…hmm. I had the idea for this one, but found it incredibly difficult to portray three different attitudes in different ways. So, I hope you can pinpoint them and if not, then I'll explain at the end anyway.

Want to know why? This chapter's dedicated to the robopup episode, as requested by Ice the Rabbit (thanks for the suggestion, by the way!). Surprisingly enough, those who haven't watched the episode are _not _recommended to read this. Spoilers ahead!

All those reading ahead, hope you enjoy it!

And I also have a few announcements to make to anonymous reviewers. Will probably need to do this in later chapters as well. Please skip ahead if it does not apply to you!

_**Guest **__– I've seen the subs up to 60. But yes, I have watched and liked that special ^^ Is there a particular scene you want me to write about? Do you want me to do a chapter based on this episode? Will look forward to your thoughts!_

_**IEatFood **__– Thanks a lot for the suggestion :) Will come in two chapters time!_

_**Meta4eva **__– Will do! A lot of people seem to like that part…Anyway, thanks for the review!_

_**Ice the Rabbit **__– Would like to thank you for the suggestion. I wasn't actually thinking about writing a part at the end, and am glad that someone suggested that to me. Again, thanks for the suggestion and kind comments. Hope you enjoy this chapter – this is for you._

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 15 – Birth? Kirby's Little Brother /\/\/\/\**

One splash received three very unusual takes. Meta Knight remained as stoic as ever, as if things falling into the sea was completely ordinary. Blade had jumped onto his feet and was now pacing the cliff face backwards and forth irritably. The last of the trio, Sword, let out an involuntary exhale in mock surprise. His excitement had risen a few notches.

"Of all places it could have backed to, it went right to the crumbly part." The green-clad knave felt around the rocks, as though he was concerned about falling down too. He failed to notice the fact they had been here for two hours, hence unlikely the cliff face would collapse.

Blade paused in his tracks, eyes drifting to the robot in the endless blue. "Are we gonna help, or are we leaving matters to Kirby?" He shifted onto his other foot. "Since, you know, the creature runs on batteries and he's in water?" he added to make his point clear.

Blinking slowly, the puffball replied, "The latter, most likely." He nonchalantly wrapped his cape round himself as a light breeze blew from the waters. "It's meant to be Kirby's younger brother. Taking responsibility for its safety comes with the package."

The shorter knight pouted. "Yet I'm the only one who doesn't regard the dog as genderless." He walked back over to the pair and perched himself by Sword. "Are you sure he's a demon beast?"

Sword laughed derisively, taking his eyes slightly away from the ordeal. "Something as advanced as that? Definitely."

"But it could be that we're looking too hard," Blade reasoned, somewhat tiredly. Raising a point against Sword was like telling Dedede he should stop downloading demon beasts. Both were equally stubborn. "What if he _is_ just a robot? With ordinary functions, I mean."

Sighing, the previously confident knight placed his hands behind his head. His eyes were replaced with a look of sympathy. "You saw it yourself. The mark of HNM on the delivery box."

Blade was lost for words for a mere second. "Could easily have been a mistake. Perhaps there weren't any other boxes available."

"All the more suspicious!" his comrade snapped, patience running short.

A movement at the corner of their eyes cut the argument short. Slicing through the waters was Dedede's speedboat, its motor protesting as it carried the machine at top speed. The King was shouting at the top of his voice, but it was all the same threats. A good distance in front of the boat was the pink puffball, his efforts of swimming not going unnoticed. The shouts of 'poyo' could be heard, even at this altitude.

However, it was the robopup Meta Knight was taking interest in. The robot was no longer drowning, but rather on the contrary. It didn't twitch as the water lapped under its feet. It didn't bark or move, even when Kirby embraced it joyfully.

With its tail rigid and head held high, it could have passed as a mere toy after all.

That was what made everything so wrong, Meta Knight thought as he bit his lip. The beast will show its true colours – something larger, possibly with more teeth and spiky fur. The timing had to be right, that was all there was to it.

The boat was closer to the pair now, but both were oblivious to the oncoming danger.

"Sir," Blade finally said, making the puffball's thoughts halt momentarily in their tracks. The warrior narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I do think we should do something. Distract Dedede, or reel Kirby in. Shouldn't we at least do that much?"

Meta Knight blinked, taking much longer than necessary. "I know you're concerned, but there's nothing we can do here. The deed will be done long before we reach them. Intervention is not required."

The other knight suddenly leaned forwards, as if he just had a massive spasm. Nevertheless, it made his companions return their attention to the waters.

It was hard to tell what had happened. All that was obvious was Dedede's triumphant laughter, the net high above his head heavy from a catch. The Star Warrior highly doubted it was a fish, so it was safe to assume the robopup was in its folds. He knew he was correct when Kirby, behind the speedboat, was spluttering as he pursued the machine.

Blade gave a light sigh. "Such determination," he mused as he rubbed the side of his head.

Laughing, the taller knight rearranged himself to become more comfortable. "There's no amusement in watching him give up," he pointed out. "Plus the chase has become more serious, now that there's a price to pay."

If it was a normal day, Meta Knight would have told him to look more into the problem. Such as why Dedede was so desperate to have the toy. Such as whether Kirby's affection for it was healthy – it was a demon beast, after all.

An unexpected explosion broke two knights out of their worried thoughts, Dedede's boat right in the middle of the impact. Sword had his mouth open, the white light dancing on his helmet like a live fire. Within seconds, Blade was shaking his head repeatedly, edging towards the border as though it wasn't even there.

"What the…?" His voice was choked, as though managing those two words was a mission enough. The other knave grimaced, tilting his body to one side to get a better view of the dying smoke. The boat was nowhere in sight, and the faint splash of Dedede and presumably Escargon too told the three all was well.

Except there was no genuine cause. There was no sudden transformation, as Meta Knight had suspected was the foundation of the blast. There was no trace that the dog was something worse than it appeared.

The robopup, as Blade had said earlier, was a mere robot. They had been far too superstitious. More like he was, and Sword followed his lead as any blind sheep would. Perhaps it was time they no longer followed him.

The shorter knight seemed to notice the puffball's discomfort, then went to his side. "Sir," he said gently, to the point it was hardly louder than a murmur. Warily looking at the sea once again, he swallowed. "It's all right to make mistakes. The affection the dog had towards Kirby was something none of us could comprehend."

A tiny scoff could be heard under Meta Knight's mask. "If anyone, you had the most understanding." He turned on his heel, dust from the worn rocks erupting as he did so. "It was wrong of me to order you what I thought was right."

Blade had the urge to look away. He could still see his comrade curious at the cliff face, eager for the show to draw its curtains. "We still have faith in you. After everything you've done for us, there's no opinion we trust more. Even if it doesn't turn out way you want. You know that, right?"

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry if that confused people at the end. There was supposed to be an implication of loyalty between the three, even if Meta Knight's intuition didn't turn out to be true. They, or Blade at least, are aware that Meta's just being sceptical and treating the whole scenario as a threat.

Sword just sees the event as a real life comedy or something. There's got to be something interesting about the king having a boat race with Kirby, eh? A lot more interesting than all the other cases, I'm sure.

Finally, Blade sees everything in the compassionate view. He understands the bond between the robopup and Kirby, and feels a small attachment about it all. It's only at the end he realises the dog's true feelings as well.

Hope this sorts out complications, and let me know what you thought of the chapter!


	9. 16: The Fish Who Loved Me

**A/N: **Hmm, I think I should explain myself. A two month delay with this and a month delay for Winning. On top of exams and lack of story ideas, it leads me into the real reason: I'm losing enthusiasm in both stories. I won't go into the drastic measure of abandoning them, however updates will be even slower than usual. And probably not in the best quality either, probably. I'm really sorry about this T_T

Anyway, back to the chapter. It was requested by pride1289 and also Medalis, so I hope you all like it. As you can see, this is the one that focuses around Kine. Also the one with the makeshift submarine ;p Hope that's enough to refresh your memory and if not, flick through the episode. It's in three parts, which are all rather self-explanatory. The second one doesn't really serve much, but links the first and last better than if it wasn't there.

So then, hope you enjoy this long-awaited edition :)

_**metasaur **__– No problem so long as you can wait a while. Three more in between!_

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 16 – The Fish Who Loved Me /\/\/\/\**

Meta Knight laughed for the first time in ages. It was as though the sudden recollection of the emotion was painful, for his throat seemed to swell soon afterwards. His head spun minutely, but it was enough for him to raise a hand to his temple. The laughter had ceased within seconds.

His colleague Blade's body language expressed nothing but sympathy. Nevertheless, the eyes underneath his helmet were stern, and stared at his boss' in a similar fashion to a psychoanalyst.

"She's even earned a fish's attention," the puffball mused. His thumb wandered over the mask's edge, as though it was searching for something wrong with the object. He wasn't really focusing on that though. Instead, he brought himself to look out onto the road rather than the sky.

True to his word, the said fish was in a tank with wheels. The container was filled with water to allow him to move, however the glass was only a little bigger than the fish and heavily restricted his movement. Kine was his name, or so Meta had heard anyway. He personally hadn't met the sunfish, but there was something there that he disliked.

He narrowed his eyes as they drew attention to Fumu instead. She appeared happy at the very least, her bright eyes scoping the landscape for something to show and tell. He seriously hoped it was the trick of the light. Bun and Kirby were also with her, snickering occasionally in the former's case.

As though he was also curious about the ordeal, Blade followed his superior's gaze. He arched an eyebrow, but it went amiss. "Are you jealous of him, by any chance?" He waved a hand lightly as Meta Knight raised his chin defiantly. "Only thinking out loud, sir."

A sigh escaped the puffball. "You were thinking extremely loud. What draws you to that conclusion?" His tone was no longer comical, but rather demanding and cold. If that wasn't enough to prove his sudden change of attitude, he had brought his cape around his spherical body. That was something that was generally seen as not a good sign.

Blade kicked the branch they were on idly, as though the question was its fault somehow. His eyes darted uncomfortably, resting on his superior occasionally to check if he was waiting. "Well…you do seem to worry about her a lot," he finally said. "You spend more time keeping an eye on her than anyone else."

Disappointment was evident in the puffball's reply. "Is that so?" His yellow eyes blinked slowly, and glistened so faintly it was as though he was looking straight past his knave. That was unsurprising – it was a familiar look for Sword whenever he asked stupid questions.

Fortunately, the knight had gone to Dedede to cover for them. Now without his company, Blade found it harder to deal with his boss' demands and criticisms. The knowledge of Sword gone was effective, in the way that his performance was worse. At least he could consult someone without feeling small.

To fill in the silence that ensued, he blurted out, "What is it then?"

The creases in Meta Knight's cape became bolder as he gripped it tighter still. Blade was beginning to suspect he was slightly irritated. He had asked a question that didn't even make sense alone, and it targeted the puffball in a manner which wasn't desired. A lecture was about to follow – he knew it.

"Does it hurt to think beyond that?" The Star Warrior finally turned to his subordinate fully, head tilting to one side in boredom. "Fumu's the daughter of the Cabinet Minister. As servants to the King, it is also our duty to protect the castle's residents."

Including the few thousand Waddle Dees, Blade countered in his head. He didn't bother saying it to the puffball's face though – that was uncalled for.

Meta Knight failed to notice the knave's silent battle. "In addition to that, Fumu's the closest person to Kirby." His eyes drifted to the girl, who was now among the vast number of curious townspeople. "If anything so much as touches her, Kirby would be distressed."

A sudden clamour made Blade shifted his gaze to the scene below. The tank containing Kine was barely in sight, for a sea of yellow impeded it from view. Kirby was nowhere to be seen, however Fumu's head showed a vague indication.

"On the other hand, there's Nightmare," the blue puffball stated. "Sooner or later, he'll use her to get to Kirby."

Blade turned his head a small amount. "You worry a lot more than you need to. You don't share these things, and you expect us to know what's going through your mind every day." He gave a wry smile. "Your trust in us is only a fraction of what we offer you. The doubt will practically eat you alive."

A grim look formed under the puffball's mask. "Doubt? I don't think that's the word you're looking for."

"No, it's exactly what I mean," Blade replied immediately, his eyebrows furrowing seriously. "You're saying Kirby won't be able to protect her when that time comes. But surely our purpose is to train him for that day?"

He stopped ranting when Meta Knight turned his back to him. "When he strikes, that's it. There's no such thing as second chances. Kirby's capability depends on how soon it is, and the date not entirely fixed. Don't assume Nightmare will give us an extension."

Judging by the stance, the Star Warrior was in no mood for discussion. He had made it pretty clear in his closing statement.

Blade honoured his superior's wish and said nothing else. Instead, he let his thoughts take over. What would happen if Nightmare struck now? Surely all wasn't lost, for if Kirby failed in some way, Meta Knight could step in. Perhaps even he or Sword could assist, but the girl was without a doubt safe, even if there was only a fish left to protect her.

"Does something seem off to you?"

That was the second question today that stumped the knave. "Fish shouldn't go out with people?" he tried, not bothering to hide his uncertainty.

The Star Warrior blinked. "That too. But I've been thinking for a while – where did that tank come from?"

"Perhaps it was just in the castle somewhere," Blade reasoned. Something as nitpicky as that was expected to catch Meta Knight's attention, although it was often of little importance to the problem at hand. "I'm sure Bun used whatever means necessary to find it."

To his surprise, the puffball shook his head. "It looks similar to the one which held Octocon. If not, the same." His head buried itself further into the fabric. "What are the chances of Bun striking a deal with Dedede?"

Blade gave a light snicker. "Very small, sir. Bun's much too mischievous to try anything as fair as that." He rubbed his right wrist pensively. "Sword's back at the castle. I'm sure he'll be able to provide us with some sort of evidence. Who knows, maybe even the whole thing."

"That's true," the Star Warrior confirmed, letting go of his cape ends. The material fell to his sides, the hem only millimetres above the very branch he was standing on. "Let's go." He waited for his subordinate to jump off first before casting a fleeting look at Fumu again. He couldn't hear at this distance, but it was clear she was lecturing her brother about something or another.

Meta Knight pushed his weight onto one foot, before leaping off the tree himself. He was mildly surprised to be face to face with Blade so soon. And much too close for comfort. The soldier was tapping an armoured foot rhythmically, and it was extremely uncharacteristic for him to do so.

"Therefore, with regards to everything you just said earlier, you don't feel even _slightly _envious of Kine?" He waited for the answer patiently, rocking on the balls of his feet minutely.

The puffball's expression remained as blank as ever. "No."

* * *

Sword folded his arms, smirking somewhat under his mask. "So, what do you think? Is it the time to act?"

The green clad knight puffed out his chest a little, and Blade noticed this immediately. He quirked an eyebrow in response, but ultimately didn't say anything about the action or the questions. Instead, he looked at the puffball in curiosity.

"The Rainbow Coral Forest?" the Star Warrior inquired, not taking his eyes off his knave. As the name implied, the forest was underwater and was meant to be exceptionally beautiful. However, Dedede didn't want to go there for the scenery – that much was obvious already. Knowing him, he wanted to have it demolished more than anything.

Sword shifted onto his other foot lazily. "Yeah. Escargon's building a submarine of some sort, so resources for us will be very limited." He gave a hasty look to his colleague before continuing. "It may not be anything luxurious, but I'm sure Blade and I could construct a quick submarine just in case."

Before Meta Knight even nodded, the shorter sidekick was already by Sword. "Sir, we won't be able to go with you. It won't be anything grand, but we can confirm to you that it will be here waiting for you."

* * *

To put no finer point on it, it was impressive how his subordinates had such little time, but were still able to construct a wooden submarine to move. Clearly, any sort of metal was limited. Three propellers were placed in the most important stops, and it was surprising that no water leaked into the container.

Nevertheless, the means of transport was not invincible. It was unfortunate the fact that it was in the path of the torpedo, and the wooden barrel had exploded in a shower of splinters and nails.

Meta Knight was now floating backwards with his now-damp cape round his body, away from the wreckage. It was essential to get as far from the mess as soon as possible, and that meant Fumu and Bun as well. He searched round the smoke to search for them, looking for any sign of yellow amongst the multi-coloured coral.

It didn't take him long to find Fumu. As he already knew, she was flailing her arms as an attempt to find air. With him and Kirby being puffballs, the desire for oxygen wasn't as great as a risk for the children. The salt in the water was just distasteful, that was all.

He was about to swim down and help her, however a movement to his right caught his sight. Bun was in trouble as well, although he was handling the situation a lot worse than his sister. Somehow, he had managed to get attention from a number of other fish.

It was then he saw Kine in the midst of the school, heading straight past him towards Fumu. That was only natural – he loved her after all. Whether it was a joke or genuine, he still couldn't decide up until now. For the sunfish had exhaled an odd bubble round the girl, and it was clear from her relaxation and smile that the salt and water had no effect. It was apparent now Kine thought the world of the Cabinet Minister's daughter.

Psychologically speaking, the phenomenon was only temporary. Kine was an animal that respired like mammals, hence most of the components within the bubble was carbon dioxide rather than oxygen like plants. Hand in hand with the limited space, it was inevitable that the water vapour within would run out.

He saw the fish swim alongside Bun and offer him the same treatment.

Blinking in response to the salt, he decided enough was enough. His cape was getting unbelievably heavy, and he couldn't risk his mask being in the water for too long. Things below the surface were under control, and he was in no hurry to be seen by anyone. Now that Kirby was down there, the forest was sure to be saved.

He turned round and held his head high. The sunlight streamed from the surface, and he guessed it was several metres above. Whether the bubbles would last that long, he had no idea. With the gases within being extremely light, it would ensure the sphere would rise to the surface quickly. As long as that factor was there, perhaps all was not lost.

With a small splash, his head poked out the waters and he scoured his surroundings. The village was a long way off, however a couple of boulders caught his gaze. It was more like a very disfigured rock, but it would do.

Within a second, he decided to wait there for the children. It would give him time to dry off a little, and to provide any help if it was necessary.

Kine…Without him, the ordeal would never have occurred. On the other hand though, Fumu and her brother would have drowned if it wasn't for the fish. The extra weight would have taken him much longer to reach the rock, and who knows what could have happened.

He needed to extend his gratitude once all this was finished.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N: **Whether Meta was being honest or hiding his liking to Fumu, that all goes for imagination :) I've purposefully left it rather open for interpretation, so feel free to jump to conclusions!

As for the Meta-not-needing-air thing, I got that from Kirby. After all, how can Kirby be perfectly fine to inhale water for ages and not be affected in any way? Plus the fact he says 'poyo' without gasping or anything like Bun does. Is that reasoning enough?

So then, I think that's everything. Please tell me if you have any questions in a review, or even just to say what you think :) Actually, I just want to know in general ;p Criticism is welcome, you know. Hope reading it wasn't a waste of your time!

Next chapter will be episode 17, unsurprisingly. What was it again? –consults notebook- Ah yes, the Ring Story of Parm and Memu, as requested by Medalis and IEatFood.


	10. 17: The Ring Story of Parm and Memu

**A/N: **Hey guys, look who's back from the dead! XD Yes, I've finally come back after a two year hiatus with big news (hopefully): I want to get back into writing about Meta Knight and his loyal sidekicks. A lot has happened since then, including my computer packing up and ergo losing all back-ups of the stories and drafts. But who cares about that.

Oh, and did you know that the subs are back in town? Yeah, major shock for me.

All that aside, I finally present this chapter upon request of Medalis and IEatFood. Apologies for the very late update, and hope that it's worth your time :D This takes place between the ring being with the burglar and it being on the sheep. Sorry it's a bad update - I'm still getting the hang of things.

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 17 – The Ring Story of Parm and Memu /\/\/\/\**

The days were few when Meta Knight went into town purely because he wanted to. He rarely went out of the castle unless he felt Kirby would benefit from what he had to say. That was just the way he was – there was no room for aimless wandering whilst knowing that trouble could strike at any time, and keeping an ear out for the delivery system was the best way to be prepared.

Today was different. And it was beyond anything that Blade was used to.

"Remind me again why we're in town?"

Meta Knight didn't need to hear him to know that Blade was getting impatient. After all, he hadn't given any sort of explanation for the sudden excursion. All he said was "Let's take a walk" and that was exactly what they did, no questions asked.

In actuality, he had overheard (by accident, of course) Dedede giving orders to Escargon and was slightly concerned about how events would unfold. After all, it had involved the village itself rather than the usual mission of 'Eliminate Kirby'. He personally didn't like doing investigations and getting his hands dirty, but it was beneficial in this instance to be ahead.

Meta Knight lowered his head somewhat. "It didn't feel right in the castle."

Blade and Sword both exchanged looks at that point. Their superior did occasionally have hunches, and questioning about it more wasn't always the best thing to do. Not only because it was very difficult to predict his mood, but also as he had a habit of testing them. Anything they said could set off a lecture.

"Seeing things from down here may be better," he elaborated after the short silence. "Approaching things exactly how the townsfolk would. Perhaps in this way, we can anticipate his Majesty's motives better."

"From Kirby's perspective, you mean?" Sword replied thoughtfully. After a while, it was very easy to know exactly what was on Meta Knight's mind. As an ex-soldier, he had undergone all sorts of training Sword and his colleague couldn't possibly imagine. With an analytical approach to both friends and foes, it was necessary for him to gauge everything that went on in Pupupuland simply for peace of mind. From Dedede's habits to what Kirby was able to do, he had it all mentally mapped out and extrapolated.

To understand his leader more, Sword had to pretend he had undergone training in the Army as well.

The three continued down the back alley. There was a ruckus of sorts on the other side of the houses, which continued to elevate as they went on. It sounded like an eventful day in the town square, albeit there being no festivals or any real reason for the commotion.

Meta Knight looked up slightly. "Did either of you see that?"

Blade instinctively shook his head, but the taller knight knew better. "We'll investigate immediately." He had to give Blade a small nudge before the latter realised what was going on.

"So, did you see it?" Blade asked once they were out of earshot.

Sword made a small sound in his throat. "I'm not sure if it's the same thing Sir Meta Knight saw, but there was a small clink somewhere around here."

With that as the only real clue to finding the source, the two looked around the pavement and on the window sills. Mercifully, there wasn't too much in this part of the village, so it didn't take long for Blade to find a small object.

He was still turning it in his hands by the time he approached his leader, who hadn't moved an inch. "The gem on this thing's massive."

It was Sword who put his face closer to the ring. "You're right. It's so big it looks fake." He furrowed his eyebrows a little, although no one could actually see the action. "Can anyone around here make fake jewellery?"

Meta Knight let the question slip. "Let's all assume that it's real. What do you make of it?"

"It's worth a lot of money?" Sword contributed. "Therefore his Majesty might be after it."

At the suggestion, Blade rolled his eyes. "In any case, it's valuable. It has to belong to someone around here. Mabel, for example; we all know that she likes this sort of stuff." To emphasise his point, he waved the ring.

"Correct. And, considering the situation at hand, what would you both do with said property?" the puffball asked next. Although his mind went at considerable speed, he often tried to get his subordinates thinking with him.

Blade clung onto the ring tighter. "Finders, keepers."

"Find the person who owns the item and return it?" Sword suggested as Meta Knight continued to stare at them. At the pointed silence, he decided to elaborate. "Ask around."

"Really." Meta Knight lowered his head as continued to walk. Momentarily stumped, the other two knights followed in his wake. "In this case, I side with Blade."

The shorter knave nodded modestly whilst Sword didn't take the statement so graciously. "Isn't it cruel?"

The puffball laughed softly. "Yes it is. It's also the way the world works. People are selfish, and if you ask around to find out if someone's lost a ring, chances are it will get claimed. Whether it's by the right person is a completely different story."

Blade's grin grew wider. "Does that mean I get to keep this?"

The answer was swift. "No."

"No?" he repeated incredulously.

"You are to place it somewhere it can be found by someone else. I would appreciate it if you don't hide it on your person," Meta Knight ordered. "I would like to see first-hand how these Cappies behave when temptation is brought to them."

Blade took one look at the ring before putting his whole hand round it. Knowing that it wasn't his made it unbearable. Even more to know that he was indirectly going to give it to someone else for research reasons.

Sword folded his arms. "You don't trust them."

"Perhaps you're right." The Star Warrior turned his head minutely. "Although, had it occurred to you that perhaps I have faith in them regardless of typical behaviour?"

Even after all this time of them being together, it was still difficult for either Sword or Blade to get things right. It just proved that they still had a lot to learn.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N:** And then the ring was put on the sheep and you know the rest. So then, what do you guys think? It's not exactly humour this time round, but I would appreciate your views in what you would prefer.

Next chapter will be Episode 18: Pink Puffball of Sleeping Forest as requested by Mind Seeker. Please stay tuned, loyal readers!


	11. 18: Pink Ball of the Sleeping Forest

**A/N: **Once again, I have returned with an update. I started and stopped at so many parts, but I got there in the end. Hope that it's to your liking, and have fun reading. I tried to bring the humour back but...meh.

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 18 – Pink Ball of the Sleeping Forest /\/\/\/\**

Despite Meta Knight ordering his two knaves to keep watch on the neighbourhood, there was absolutely nothing to do. Dedede's plan to put Kirby out of action was already underway, and there was no sign of danger.

Nevertheless, the two kept a keen eye out and stayed out of sight so as to not worry the others. They patrolled, they listened out for any thunderous roars, they even resorted to spying on Dedede (who only eyed at his riches and laughed at Escargon for the whole two hours). But everything was exactly how an average day should be. Even though nothing had happened, the two were extremely exhausted.

As the day drew to a close, the two made a detour to the Cabinet Minister's chambers for their final mission.

"Blade, Sword. What a surprise!" The Cabinet Minister himself was flustered, offering a crooked smile that suggested that it wasn't the best time for conversation.

"We apologise for the inconvenience," Sword began automatically. He looked past Parm to the living room. It seemed ordinary just like the town. Nothing was out of place except for one thing. "We have something to say regarding Fumu and Bun."

Parm exhaled as he brought a hand to his chest. "Do you know where they are? Fumu said she and Kirby were going on a picnic, and Bun has gone missing all day. Even Lololo and Lalala have gone." He glanced over his shoulder. "Memu's getting very agitated."

The shorter knight nodded sympathetically. "They all went to Bababagahara. Since this morning, Kirby's been in a deep sleep. It so happens that the only cure is obtained from the forest." He refrained from adding 'conveniently' under his breath.

Sword was quick to notice Parm's worry lines. "Please rest assured that your children are fine. Our lord is with them as we speak, and he will ensure nothing befalls them." He smiled reassuringly. "He gives his word that he will guarantee their safely."

"Who is it dear?" Memu's head popped round the doorway, and gave a kind smile when she saw the knights. "Good evening. Where's Sir Meta Knight?"

"It seems he's with Fumu and Bun," Parm clarified. His expression matched perfectly with his fidgeting fingers. "They won't be back for…a while?" Here he gave an uncomfortable look to Blade as he continued to feign knowing what was going on.

Unsurprisingly, it was Sword who elaborated. "They currently have some urgent matters to attend. I must stress that trying to anticipate when they will be back won't make them return any sooner." He had a habit of being heartless during his reports – his phrasing didn't help a tremendous deal either. All he wanted to say was along the lines of 'keep your head up' and 'there's nothing to worry about'.

The shorter knight shook his head. "He means they'll be back before you know it."

Memu exhaled sharply. "I do hope so. If Sir Meta Knight's with them, then I'm sure they're all okay." She turned on her heel to leave them, then stopped. "I'm preparing a meal for four, but I think it's going to get cold before the children get here. Would you like to join us for dinner?"

The suggestion lingered in the air for a few seconds. Parm was the only one expressing some sort of joy as he babbled about his wife's amazing cooking. The knaves simply repeated the question again in their heads and exchanged looks.

Blade shrugged. "It would be a waste of food otherwise."

"We have to decline the invitation," Sword said in an undertone. "I know it's rude, but there's no way we can eat in front of them. We don't eat in the presence of others."

"Maybe it's time to change that," Blade mused as he lowered his head slightly. "We should be more social, hear things from the civilians, so to speak."

As the discussion grew more intense, it was clear that Parm didn't feel involved and knew he had nothing to contribute. Instead, he opened the door wider. "Feel free to come in if you're staying."

The knaves both gave their thanks and silently waited for the Cabinet Minister to be out of earshot. The two rarely disagreed with each other, and it was admittedly embarrassing. The only thing where they often clashed was when the Halberd had to go through various updates and repairs, and even then they ensured that Meta Knight couldn't hear them.

But now they were fighting over _dinner_?

"You said yourself that our lord will be back at any moment." Sword looked up at the ceiling in thought. "Right now, he's either fending off creatures we can't imagine or returning home exhausted after fighting said creatures."

The shorter knight acknowledged the statement with a sound of approval. "So…what's your point?"

"We can't stay," he replied, quicker than Blade had anticipated. "What we've done today is nothing compared to what Sir Meta Knight has done. Dining here would make us lose sight of our mission."

Blade shrugged. "True, but we never really had a mission in the first place. To me, this is the closest to a day off we've had for some time." He inched a foot forwards, solely to annoy his colleague. "If you think about it, it all works out rather nicely."

Sword couldn't disagree to that. Not only was it a tempting idea of different company, but it was a gesture to show that they were more than bodyguards. Parm and Memu were missing their family, just like they were missing theirs. They were all stuck in the same boat, forced to wait at home and only hope the others will return safely.

And with Sir Meta Knight elsewhere, they were more than capable enough to make their own decisions. All it asked was one thing: whether they valued social standing more than their jobs.

They could always take the food out and eat in their own room, but that didn't make any sense. They usually had food prepared by Waddle Dees, which was naturally varied but at the same time mundane after eating it for the past five years.

The green-clad knight sighed after a few minutes. "Fine. I won't eat anything, but I see no harm in joining them for dinner."

And, despite the helmet, Sword knew that his comrade's beam was broader than ever.

* * *

"Sir Meta Knight, welcome back."

The puffball smiled inwardly as he closed the door behind him. "I'm back." Evidently, his subordinates had anticipated his arrival, for one of the beds was set out in the middle of the room. It was also likely because of the fact Fumu and the others came back by boat, where there was hardly enough room for him to accompany them during the trip.

He had walked the whole way back, and he had no idea what the time difference was between their arrival and his.

Blade followed his gaze to the lone bed. "We thought that you would be tired. Bababagahara isn't exactly the number one spot to have a picnic or take a quick nap."

Meta Knight lowered his head as he silently agreed.

"What happened?" Sword pointed to the puffball's cape in horror. It was frayed at the mantle, and there were numerous holes to be seen at the back as Meta Knight brushed past the waiting knights and perched himself on the tatami mat. A content sigh was barely audible.

"It's nothing," Meta Knight said offhandedly. "With all things considered, it's a small price to pay. There are a couple of spare ones in the cupboard."

As if on cue, Blade busied himself with finding a replacement whilst the puffball unfastened the one round his body. The mask wobbled dangerously, but it only slid down his face slightly.

Sword folded his arms as if to show he was unconvinced. "That doesn't answer the question."

Although Meta Knight was aware of the knave's point, he didn't care to elaborate. The cloak had been damaged during the fight with the Pyukii flower, of which the battle was still engraved in his memory. Looking down the plant's mouth and being close to dinner wasn't exactly the plan he had in mind. The smell of its breath was still on him and he could still feel the stings of its teeth on most parts of his body.

But, if he hadn't made himself the bait, it was likely Bun would have received injuries far greater than he had. Perhaps Kirby would never have woken up, and perhaps the flower would have targeted the others next.

On another note, Bun had expressed signs of courage and heroism that had only amplified as the various obstacles unfolded. Traits that couldn't have been brought to light unless they were all in the face of danger.

All in all, they were lucky to be alive.

"It was just a fight." That was all he had to say to keep his subordinate quiet. "I stayed awake the previous night to keep watch, and I succumbed to carelessness. That's all it is."

Blade didn't have to look to know that Sword was giving him a look saying "I told you so". They were bickering only an hour ago (the second argument they had in less than 24 hours) whether their leader would be tired. It wasn't a secret that there were some nights the puffball couldn't sleep, but for him to injure himself as a consequence only showed that Bababagahara was just like the stories said.

He didn't want to say it out loud, but Blade was disappointed that Meta Knight admitted that he was caught off guard. Compared to the war, the creatures in the forest should have been a piece of cake. They could have all gone for days without food and restless nights – easily. Why was this one night any different?

Even as the knight handed over a new cloak, he knew that the gloved hand was not one of a warrior anymore.

Meta Knight laughed softly as he put on the cape. "I know what you're thinking." He gave a small smile to Blade as he readjusted his mask. "Before you contemplate about our capabilities further, consider the fact none of us were meant to survive for this long. We've lived through the hardships where others were not so fortunate." He looked down minutely. "To ensure that they didn't die in vain, the three of us made an oath. Thus, to this day, we have to hope and believe we will see our mission through to the end."

He looked at his subordinates in turn before getting onto his feet. "I think I'll take a short siesta. You're both free for this afternoon."

Sword, who had more respect for him, gave an understanding nod. "We will report back in a few hours." He left the room very swiftly, and Blade had no choice but to follow.

However, he paused at the door. "Sir?"

The puffball's eyes turned a fraction. "Yes?"

"It was wrong of me to doubt you." He bit down on his lower lip. "I'm sorry."

Meta Knight shook his head. The fatigue was finally getting to him, where the bed a few centimetres away was suddenly more inviting. "There's nothing to apologise for."

Blade had more he wanted to say, but he simply looked at Meta Knight the way he was. Not an ex-soldier or even his leader. Simply a man living each day to the fullest. Embracing what limited days he had left and making the most of them.

He didn't know what came over him. Sword undoubtedly wanted to train in the courtyard, and Blade had the feeling that he was waiting for him.

"Sir…Once you rest up, would you be willing to spar with us?" He was determined to be better, strong enough to protect those who were important to him. To make the most of today in order to make a brighter tomorrow. A small chance that if his superior was injured, they would be capable enough to protect and help.

Meta Knight blinked. "Two against one sounds interesting. Don't wear yourself out before then."

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N:** And there we have it. Tension between Sword and Blade throughout the chapter until they have to work together to beat up Meta Knight XD Nah I'm kidding – Meta Knight will definitely win.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you thought! Next chapter will be Episode 19: Knuckle Joe Arrives! Requested by Casiana1…ages ago.


	12. 19: Knuckle Joe Arrives!

**A/N: **Yay, it's finally done! It's done in two parts, and admittedly no appearance of Knuckle Joe. Sorry. Regardless, hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 19 – Knuckle Joe Arrives! /\/\/\/\**

After serving King Dedede for a little over five years, it was surprising how orderly their room was despite all this time. The books were lined up nicely on the shelf, and weapons were secured to the walls with enough distance between them to make the room bigger. The single table on the tatami mat ensured the room didn't look empty, and was positively glowing as Meta Knight had given it a good clean a few minutes ago.

The cupboard…not so much.

"No, no. You're holding a rook. Or a castle, whichever you prefer."

"Stick to one name, you're confusing me!"

The puffball ignored the two, trying to decide what to do with all their belongings. The futons from last night were folded, albeit hurriedly, and were ultimately the items closest to him. He took them out first and stacked them in the corner, where it was out of the way and wasn't a potential hazard.

"So what's the point of protecting the king?" Sword asked next. "And I'm sure that King Dedede can move more than one step in a turn, especially if he has the tank handy. Or even just considering his size."

Blade sighed thoughtfully. "Let's say that he's fallen ill and it's up to us to prevent enemy attack. We're the knights." Here he held up the respective piece. "Meta Knight can be the queen because he's officially his Majesty's guard."

"You're likening me to the queen?" the Star Warrior asked as he retrieved a metal box. He set it in front of him and fiddled with the clasp. "I would personally have preferred to be a rook." Tools and bolts for the Halberd. Another item that was frequently used, it seemed.

Sword pointed a finger over the row of pawns. "And these are the Waddle Dees?"

"Exactly!" Blade enthused.

Spare bulbs for the lamp was next to come out of the cupboard. Meta Knight put them on the floor beside him before delving into the closed space further.

"Nightmare can be this big, black evil king here. We're basically trying to trap him in the corner and put him into checkmate."

Sword laughed softly. "If only real life was as simple as that."

He didn't know if it was fate or just coincidence, but the puffball felt the chipped wood near the back of the cupboard. The distinctive smoothened edges and the grooves near the corners. The box that was as old as he was and had gone through just as much.

His old roommate had asked about it. His friends had admired it and contributed their own belongings in there.

If things were really as simple as a game of chess, then perhaps he wouldn't have lost so many comrades and foes alike. He remembered those long nights when they were hopelessly outnumbered and the siege. So many memories suddenly sprung to mind just by a single touch, and it hurt.

In chess, the game's over in an hour and the board's turned anew. Perhaps in a way, perhaps the war was painfully similar. The board was already turned over, but the opposition was still the long-running champion.

He pushed the box to one side and felt for the next item.

Blade made himself comfortable by resting on his belly. "Let's play."

"_Let's play. Come on, one game's not going to hurt."_

Meta Knight sighed. He had a spanner in one hand, which he set onto the toolbox.

"You haven't even explained the rules properly! At least take it easy, promise?" Sword argued as he too rearranged himself to a more suitable position.

"_I just don't think it's very appropriate to play a drinking game when—"_

"_We're at war here, Meta. Let's just have a good time for once in our lives."_

A screwdriver joined the spanner with a clatter. He had left everything behind, and he was getting on just fine. He now had a purpose, but there was no denying that the past still haunted him. And it had finally caught up to him. He closed his eyes momentarily before taking the box out.

He forced himself to look at it whilst he wiped the dust off the surface. He cleaned the sides and in every single groove that ran across it. The golden emblazonment across the centre didn't have the shine it had before, boasting the coat of arms of the royal family. He had forgotten from which planet it came from and who Sir Arthur had to escort, but this was his reward for his services. The outside was worth just as much as the inside.

Meta Knight tackled the cupboard next. The quicker everything was done, the quicker he could put everything back into the shadows.

His subordinates were still playing with each other silently by the time Meta Knight got to putting things back in the cupboard. Sir Arthur's box was the first thing to be put back.

It was just when he was putting in the futons that the ground started to shake. The rattling of metal could be heard from the toolbox, but it was far enough in the cupboard to not fall onto the floor. Blade and Sword kept themselves low, looking up from their game with equally confused expressions.

"Sir!"

Blade was the one who went to his lord first. Standing up and precariously carrying something so big during a mild earthquake was enough to make anyone fall flat onto his face. The knight didn't laugh as he took hold of the bedding.

"Thank you," the Star Warrior murmured once he was back on two feet again. He made to take the futon off Blade, but the latter proceeded to putting it into the cupboard. "We should investigate. Grab your swords."

The two knaves nodded obediently. Their weapons were on the floor either side of the chess board, and it was then that Sword made a keen observation.

"Hey, my king's still standing. And yours is off the board." He grinned as he grabbed his sword and fastened it round his waist. "Does that mean I win?"

Blade shrugged nonchalantly as he too prepared himself. "Just this one time. Next match though, I'm going all out."

* * *

"He's going mad, I tell you." Blade leaned closer to his companion before continuing. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"He just got visited by the ghost of Christmas Past. Give him a bit of time."

The shorter knight rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure if you remember, but that 'ghost of Christmas Past' tried to kill us, I tell you!"

Meta Knight looked over his shoulder mildly. "That was the son of my best friend. Please get the facts straight." He tossed out the futons with slight annoyance – he had only just cleaned this cupboard, only to go back into it again to retrieve something right from the very back.

Sword shrugged. "So…what happens now?"

The puffball didn't say anything until he had retrieved a box and set it on the table across the room. His knaves mercifully hadn't said anything about his silence. "I should have seen this coming."

Knuckle Joe had caught up with him, and it wasn't for the nicest reason. How long had he been searching for him, and how much hatred could have accumulated over that time?

As the box opened, there were so many things in there. A vast collection of the past that were better left forgotten. Letters from family who never received a response, a few foreign coins, even a nasty-looking doll. When looking at them for what they were, they didn't mean a lot. To Blade and Sword, they were just objects.

To Meta Knight, it was a lot more.

There was an unopened envelope to Sir Noisurat – he always said that he was too busy to take a peek at it.

_Just the other day, I went to Rockstar and do you know what the King said there? "Last week we suffered from an ambush. You wouldn't have been able to guess – we were only able to rebuild our town because of Sir Dragato of the GSA". It's like you're everywhere at once and making the difference you strived for. I hope you're taking care of yourself and checking on your health frequently. Don't overwork yourself._

The doting wife of Sir Dragato. They had often pointed fingers and laughed at him, for no-one would have been able to guess he was a family guy.

_Good luck on your big mission. I love you Mummy._

Garlude was one of the few people brave enough to write back. Most soldiers couldn't stand the guilt of keeping contact, preferring to drift away and let their life and death be unsaid.

His best friend was just like that. Meta Knight could have read every letter and find nothing addressed to Jecra. He made his life in the army, and left everything else behind out of choice. Everyone had assumed that it wasn't a pretty past or it was traumatising – they didn't ask him about it, and accepted him for who he was.

Sir Falspar's penknife was put to one side, and Blade eagerly picked it up.

"Say, don't you have something like this?"

Meta Knight lifted his head quickly. "Yes. It's in here somewhere."

"Hmm," Blade mused as he turned the item in the palm of his hand. It was a deep green, and a set of yellow eyes could be seen in the V-shape that was presumably what his mask looked like. "It looks so cool. Can I keep it?"

Sword slapped him round the back of his head. "You honestly don't get it, do you? Put it back."

Blade was about to retort something rude back, but was cut short when Meta Knight laughed softly. The puffball retrieved something big from the box, using his other hand to catch the golden chain. "I don't see why not. Take good care of it, that's all I ask for."

The two knights exchanged looks. From what they could see, everything in this box was valuable to him. That was exactly why they were ordered never to open it and they faithfully followed his wish. For their leader to give out what was clearly a memento was absurd.

"I agree with you now. He's gone mad," Sword decided. He folded his arms, arching an eyebrow as he did so. "What's wrong?"

Meta Knight put the locket to one side and started cramming the letters back into the box. "Sir Falspar was a man of great courage and had tremendous strength. He always used to bark orders, regardless of the fact he was one of the youngest soldiers." He jerked his head towards the penknife. "Knowing him, he wouldn't have wanted his possessions to be stuck in the dark."

He closed the box with an air of finality and snatched up the necklace. Just like the penknife, it was time for Jecra's legacy to be free and returned to its descendent.

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it. Sorry if the italic bits are complicated, but I wanted to have a go at making the humour and drama of dead people interact slightly. Not really sure if I like it, but it's all about experimentation. It was a good place to start introducing Arthur and his team though.

Next episode is number 20: Goodbye, Snowman Chilly requested by metasaur. Let me know what you thought and if you want to request an episode, feel free. Until next time!


	13. 20: Goodbye, Snowman Chilly

**A/N: **Just want to say sorry for the late update. I had very few ideas for this chapter plus I recently finished the NaNoWriMo this year too, and so I'm really hoping this update doesn't disappoint. Thank you all loyal readers – your support is amazing and I really love hearing what you have to say.

In other news, episode 20! A fifth of the way through the anime and a third through the subs!

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 20 – Goodbye, Snowman Chilly /\/\/\/\**

Meta Knight simply stared at his knaves. It wasn't the off-putting scarves that made him raise a rhetorical eyebrow, despite their credibility. Sword shouldn't be wearing yellow, and it was evident that Blade's scarf had been wound round his neck several times, the way it had been bundled up his neck looked several times thicker.

"What's that?" He jerked his head towards the object at their feet, and the two knight exchanged looks.

"It's a snowboard, sir. The Waddle Dees were handing them out." Sword pointed towards hill with a stock. "You can't see it from here though. It might be on the other side."

"I see," the puffball stated flatly. "And what of King Dedede?"

Blade shrugged. "One would assume that he gave the order. It's not like the Waddle Dees do things on their own accord."

Meta Knight narrowed his eyes. First the snow and now free snowboards? Something really didn't feel right. The king was anything but generous, and one thing or the other had to be his doing. "How about everyone else in the village?"

The taller of the knights shrugged. "What do you mean?"

"Has everyone else fallen for the latest craze?"

Sword laughed softly. "We were more or less the last ones to arrive. Everyone's either riding down the hills or riding the ski tow to go again."

"And could we add that we've only just come down for our first time," Blade chipped in. "It's safe. The others have gone down a lot more than we have, and apart from human error, there's nothing that's going to cause any problems."

Meta Knight wrapped his cloak round himself tighter as a breeze blew the powdered snow across the air. He didn't care if it was safe or presumably fun. It didn't change the fact something was off. He first looked at that awful magenta scarf round Blade's neck, then the slope behind his knaves.

Blade followed his gaze sheepishly. "Yeah, I had a bit of an accident coming down. It looks a lot worse than what it looks like."

"It doesn't change the fact you were negligent in leaving your scarf undone," the puffball countered. Surely that was the first rule before racing down a hillside at breakneck speed?

"It's alright now. Sword made it real tight so it won't come undone again." Blade sighed softly. "If you're worried, say the word."

Meta Knight lifted his head a little. He wasn't worried about them in the slightest. He knew that they liked doing their own things and preferred to learn things the hard way. If one of them was to slip and crash into a tree, it was their own fault and they knew that. If a demon beast was to manifest itself from the very snowboards they were playing with, they would have the initiative to get everyone to safety and look out for one another.

He had faith in them, and perhaps it was that that made him more obliged to leave them to it.

"It's not that," he chose to say. Shaking his head, he turned on his heel to face the forest behind him. "Keep an eye out."

And with that, Meta Knight left two gobsmacked knaves in his wake as he made his exit. Even when he was out of earshot and eventually out of sight too, his subordinates didn't move a muscle. There were a few distant cries over the hillside as the Cappies continued their recreational activity, not bothering to hide their euphoria.

"What do you think that was about?" Sword asked finally. He folded his arms in thought. "He's been so reserved lately I wonder if something's on his mind."

Blade tilted his head. "To me, it sounded like the go-ahead. But I bet we'd probably get told off when we return to the comforts of home."

The green-clad knight nodded. "Something's gotten our lord interested, and he's made it clear he doesn't want us to follow. It's almost like he _wants_ something to be wrong with this picture."

"You can't blame him," Blade said as he dug his stocks into the snow. "It was really hot earlier this morning, and he is a veteran from the war. He's been suspicious all morning, you know what he's like. We need to give him his space, and we'll have to wait however long until he's satisfied that there's nothing to fight or he finds something."

Sword smiled minutely under his helmet. "I guess that's just the way he is."

"And, seeing how he left, he's giving us space as well," the shorter knave continued. He pushed himself forwards and moved about an inch. "What do you say about going down again?"

Sword wasn't so eager to drop the subject. "Wasn't it a few days ago that he told off Fumu?" When there was nothing but stunned silence, he shifted his weight onto his other foot as he tried to elaborate. "It might have been last week. Fumu burst in whilst we were watching TV together…When Dedede was giving out those pillows!" he said triumphantly, whacking a fist into the palm of his other hand. At least as well as he could whilst keeping a firm hold on the stocks.

"What did he say, exactly?" Blade tilted his head somewhat, and his comrade knew him well enough to know he was getting impatient. He had a short attention span, and if the conversation was to meet a credible conclusion, it had to be the bare minimum.

"He mentioned that it wasn't healthy to get suspicious every time Dedede does something." The taller knight idly drew on the snow using the pointed stick.

He could do anything on this white sheet – write his name or doodle. Fall into it and let it catch his weight, letting the hardened water seep into his armour and freeze his joints. Snow was a first for him, and he wanted to make the most of it. Where, even if it wasn't a first for Meta Knight, he had wanted to share the moment with his lord.

Blade laughed derisively as he once again turned his back. "Are you suggesting he's a hypocrite?"

"I'm not suggesting anything," Sword snapped, and he regretted it instantly when he saw his friend jump. He gave a sharp exhale through his nose. "He dashes off the instant he thinks something's wrong. And recently, he hasn't been taking us along with him. I may sound out of line, but it's borderline selfish."

He kicked at the snow mulishly. His lord didn't even have the capacity to enjoy himself, and that was the thing that got to Sword the most. "We offered our swords to him and his mission a long time ago. Now, at the rate he's going, he's venturing into deeper waters and we won't be able to do a thing to help him. I'm worried he's pushing himself."

Blade placed a reassuring hand on his companion, offering a reassuring smile he knew went amiss. "He's going to need us, that much is certain. But in the meantime, as his bodyguards, we're allowed to worry."

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

* * *

**A/N:** Yay, finally this chapter's done! Lots of trust issues, and it didn't fit to have Meta having a snowball fight or anything like that. Even though he should have done.

Next episode is 21: Princess Rona's Holiday requested by Riku's Music Lover. I'll do my best to update sooner for this. I'm also hoping to put Dedede and Escargon in it, so let's hope I do them right! Until next time, please let me know you are still out there and what you thought of the update!


	14. 21: Princess Rona's Holiday

**A/N: **So, it's been a while eh? So sorry about that – developments my end have made things difficult for me and, with me being susceptible to writer's block so often, it's now been well over a year since the last update. For anyone who chooses to still following this since it published in 2008, thank you for your support and your patience.

I hope this makes up for everything…

* * *

**/\/\/\/\ Episode 21: Princess Rona's Holiday /\/\/\/\**

On nights such as this, Sword found himself to be envious of Blade. Often, he prized himself as being more compassionate than his colleague, but Blade's ability to fall asleep proved to be valuable on this particular night.

Even with his helmet off (they normally slept with them on) and ears covered with the now demon beast-free pillow, he found it incredibly difficult to maintain comfort whilst shutting out the noise outside.

He turned, stayed on that side for close to a minute before resting on his front.

"Sir, tell me you're awake."

Meta Knight didn't move, but there was a small grunt from underneath his covers. "What is it?"

Sword propped his head onto his hands, fighting his eyes to stay open. He was exhausted, but he wasn't going to get his sleep tonight, not with _that_.

"How much longer do you think he's going to keep at it?"

In normal circumstances, silence would have stretched out as the puffball formed a cryptic yet reasonable answer. In more natural circumstances, Meta Knight would have been irritated, even if he wouldn't show it, that someone would talk to him so late at night.

Castle Dedede, with its long corridors and stone walls, echoed the obnoxious voice of Dedede himself. And unfortunately, Dedede was too proud to realise himself that he was incredibly tone-deaf.

The king had changed the lyrics to 'I want to marry you' to a more subtle 'I want to kiss you', but it didn't make it any more romantic. King Dedede was the type of person who believed in the philosophy that louder was better – and as he bellowed out his new-found lyrics, it didn't come out in quite the same volume as before.

Sword cringed.

"Princess Rona is, so far, the only female that is going out of her way to come here. On top of that, she is someone on the same status as His Majesty. He simply wants to make the most of it."

Sword rolled his eyes. "If Princess Rona actually accepts his proposal, I'd cut off my hand. I know that he's trying hard, but can't he be…I don't know, himself?" And yet somehow, being theatrical was exactly what Dedede was like. The knight's chin slipped off his hand. "He's going the extra mile, but if he goes too far, he's going to scare her."

Meta Knight's laugh almost went amiss. "We'll just have to hope that she's tolerant enough to handle him."

A snore came from Blade's general direction.

"I don't think even tolerance is going to spare her," Sword remarked as he sat up. "Even from Pipi, she must have heard about what kind of person His Majesty is."

He pouted somewhat as he mentally stumbled on something darker than he had intended. Like most people, his thoughts had been excitement of a visitor. What would she be like? Was she pretty? What was it like on Pipi, and how was it different to here? Perhaps it was his lack of sleep talking, but sceptical thoughts began to blur his mind. "So why would she come here?"

"Why shouldn't she?" Meta Knight challenged as he finally opened his eyes. He wasn't asking to irritate his subordinate – rather to stretch his mind.

"Because His Majesty's going to come onto her like a bag of rocks," Sword snapped. "Unless she's serious about marrying him, she should be more interested in other planets. His Majesty's going to everything he can until she says 'yes'."

"I have heard that she's very adventurous," Meta Knight mused. "It's not entirely out of the question that she'd want to come here regardless."

Sword exhaled sharply. Why did he have to be so right? When things bugged him, it was easy to bounce ideas off Blade. They were on reasonably the same level, and they could both talk without one feeling stupider than the other. With Meta Knight, it was like serving the ball and it came back ten times stronger. He had to be prepared for the shot or else he'd bowl over.

In this particular instance, he had failed to serve altogether and the ball had landed on his foot.

It wasn't Rona's fault. But the very idea that Rona's visit indirectly caused his lack of sleep. And that meant he would have to deal with it for the next few nights before the morning of her arrival finally came.

Sword pulled the covers across him as he went to lie back down again. "Sorry sir. I hope I wasn't being rude."

"Rude isn't the same as curious." That the closest Meta Knight got to a 'don't worry about it'.

"If I'm still grouchy in the morning, it'd be because I didn't sleep."

The puffball closed his eyes again. "You will. Good night."

* * *

Princess Rona was beautiful. Everyone had their eyes on her up on the roof where her ship had landed – as the first princess in most of their lifetime, she certainly had the air about her that was completely different to that of King Dedede.

Although the three knights were not invited to her reception committee ("It would cramp my style", were Dedede's words), the same thought ran through their minds as she was escorted to the dining room.

She had a bodyguard.

"When do you think we can talk to him?" Blade wondered aloud as he and his colleague roamed the town. Meta Knight had generously given them both leave, claiming that he had to stick close to His Majesty but out of sight in case something happened.

Spoken like a true body guard, cynical stalker and Rona's worried dad all at the same time.

Sword shrugged. "Last I saw, he was rather interested in Fumu. The only plan I have to get him alone is if we ambush him in the loos."

Blade laughed heartily. Normally, it was him who made the silly suggestions. "I don't think that would sit well."

The two walked through the town centre, and it was clear the residents of Pupu village had also taken advantage of Princess Rona's visit. Both sides were lined up with stalls, brightly coloured and probably the noisiest the square had ever been in the normal sense (as in Dedede's far-from-environmentally-friendly car wasn't tearing through the streets full speed ahead).

"I want to hear what it's like to guard a princess," Blade wondered aloud. "I bet he has all sorts of stories to tell."

"I hope you're not thinking the dirty kind," Sword warned. And, in quite possibly the worst timing ever, he graciously refused a stick of candy floss from the Mayor. Impolite as it was, it meant walking around with a large yellow snack.

Blade, on the other hand, wasn't so embarrassed by the idea. He stuck a hand into his belt to get out a few coins. "No, but I bet that Vee's seen all sorts of people hit on the princess. He must have done some fancy moves or done stupid things to get them off her back." He thanked the Mayor and took his candy floss.

"You know you can't eat that in public."

Blade grinned mischievously under his helmet. "It's not for me."

Sword didn't dwell on the subject any longer – undoubtedly, Vee had already tried some seeing as he was on a tour around the village with Fumu, and Blade had such a one-track mind he failed to realise that. "If it's not too much hassle, I'd like to spar with him. His techniques must be different to ours, maybe even better."

"Yeah, that'd be nice," Blade agreed. "But I don't fancy an audience – the two of us are probably going to get floored."

They passed Mabel's fortune telling tent next, the purple drapes not moving but enough to say that Gus the village mechanic was there with her.

"Do you think Vee likes her? The princess?" Blade asked next as he brought the cotton candy closer to his chest. He didn't want to have any unfortunate accidents now that they were going into the thicker crowd around Kawasaki's.

"He must do. What's not to like?"

Blade drummed his free hand against his side. "I mean, think of it like us. We owe our lord everything. We like his company, he values ours. We all understand each other, occasionally have a laugh whilst maintaining professionalism. Is being with Princess Rona the same, or is their version of being a bodyguard stricter?"

The taller knight furrowed his eyebrows. Certainly, their relationship with Meta Knight was one of mutual standing. They wanted to fight beside him, he was fine with it. But did Vee enlist to become a bodyguard or was he handed the role with little choice? Was there any sot of communication with the princess, only there to make sure to bring her home safe? Or, like them, did he share an equally significant moment that tied the two together for life?

Sword was about to reply when Fumu, on one of the tables in Kawasaki's, waved at them. And, opposite her, Vee himself also waved.

Once the two knights gave the group a nod in greeting, Fumu proceeded to talk to Vee.

Somewhat in a daze, Sword struggled to find his composure. Much like dropping a book and losing his place, he struggled to remember what they were talking about. He shook his head, perplexed. "What were we saying again?"

But once again, he was interrupted.

"Sword Knight and Blade Knight," Vee said enthusiastically. He outstretched a hand to Sword first. "I'm Vee, Princess Rona's bodyguard."

"Pleasure." It came out more distant than he had intended, but he smiled as he caught eye contact with Fumu. Presumably, instead of resuming to their conversation, she had briefly explained to Vee about who they were. And here they were worrying how to talk to him alone!

Vee went to shake hands with Blade next. "It's nice to see people here with a similar job. Do you like it here?"

"There's never a dull moment, let's say that," Blade joked. Although there were never any outsiders threatening Pupu Village, their main role was to protect the citizens from the king and his rather unhealthy desire to buy demon beasts.

Sword could imagine where the conversation was going, and he wasn't looking forward to explaining what demon beasts were. "Have you been the princess' bodyguard for long?" he asked instead as an attempt to steer the conversation away from them.

"Oh, not long," Vee said dismissively. "You've been with Sir Meta Knight for ages, haven't you?"

Sword smiled forcefully. Evidently, Vee was just as eager to find out about them. "We've been on this planet for five years, but we've been under him for much longer. The two of us met him during the war, and we have gone through a lot together since."

Blade shifted his weight onto his other foot as he held onto the stick of his candy floss tighter. The stick threatened to snap in half as he rigidly held it out towards Vee.

It took a few moments for Vee to realise what was going on. "Thank you," he said as he relieved Blade of his burden, which had apparently been considerably heavier than it appeared.

Sword rolled his eyes. "If you're free later on today, do you fancy sparring with us? It shouldn't take long, and I'm sure that we could learn a lot from each other."

Although the move was swift, Vee's eyes drifted hesitantly towards Sword's considerably longer weapon. "That'd be nice. I'd like to stay in town for a bit first, so how about I'll let you know once we get back to the castle?"

By 'we', Blade and Sword both know he meant the Cabinet Minister's daughter and Kirby. "Sure," Blade replied.

Vee grinned and, with a few kind words, took his leave. The two knights watched as he re-entered Kawasaki's and Fumu's face lit up as more questions threatened to burst out of her.

Blade raised his head somewhat to face his taller comrade. "So what do you make of him? We couldn't find out much in the end."

Sword bit down on his lower lip. Although collectively they were hoping to find out more about him, he was thankful to have had the chance to talk to him. He was friendly, energetic and had made the effort to spare up some time for them. He didn't consider himself above them and had promised for another chance to talk. All in all, he was a nice enough bloke.

But physically?

"Do you think his eyelashes were a bit long?" Sword said slowly.

Blade laughed. "You know you're reached Sir Meta Knight's standards when you've reached the point of defining someone by their _eyelashes_." He smacked Sword's shoulder plate playfully. "Stop over-thinking things. Vee's decent, right?"

"Yeah he's decent," Sword agreed. "I'm sure he's great company, but he kept steering the conversation away from himself as well…"

Being soldiers, they were men of accomplishments and chivalry. Modesty was fair enough, but when presented with a question, most would answer it with considerable depth. The 'not long' response would normally be assigned with someone either too interested in other people or one who wants to keep as much of themselves hidden as possible.

Then he realised it.

Sword brought a hand to the side of his helmet. "And Sir Meta Knight had said she was adventurous."

Blade blinked several times. "You've completely lost me."

The taller knight jerked his head, and the two then proceeded their way back to the castle. "Vee's actually Princess Rona. She disguised herself as the bodyguard so she could explore the town without His Majesty bothering her."

"That's actually a really good plan," Blade remarked as he rearranged his belt. "But that's also a serious accusation. So if the princess is here, who's the fake one with the king?"

Sword shrugged. "The actual bodyguard? A maid bribed to pretend to be her? I don't know the details, but based on what Sir Meta Knight told me a few nights ago, the one in the castle is nothing like she's meant to be."

"Adventurous…He didn't tell you anything else?" Blade asked.

He didn't reply immediately. "Nothing that helps, I don't think."

"That's too bad," Blade commented. He then made a sound that would have sounded like a yelp if it wasn't for the helmet. "By giving her candy floss, did I just flirt with a princess?"

Sword gave a sly smirk. "Stop pretending to be horrified. We both know that you're secretly thrilled."

The rest of the journey was more or less along the lines of the two squabbling about whether Blade was interested in the princess. Over time, the conversation then turned to their later fight, where they were no longer fighting someone on their level, but rather a princess that could very well lead to trouble if either of them managed to injure her.

When they reached the main hall, the two knights saw Meta Knight observing the unfolding banquet between Rona and the Cabinet Minister. Even though the puffball hadn't appeared to notice them, he didn't looked surprised at all.

"Rona's actually Vee," Sword whispered, and it came out in not quite the way he had intended. It almost sounded like a schoolchild spreading false rumours.

Meta Knight blinked. "I know."

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N:** On top of Free Hours, I'm also trying to finish other projects for my NaNoWriMo this year (I'm actually on the much-awaited 26 right now!). If you have any requests for later chapters, please let me know!

Next episode is 22: Decisive Battle on the Lone Island – An Old Soldier Never Dies requested by MetaDarkKaabiiIPOD. Next update won't take this long, I promise you.


	15. 22: An Old Solder Never Dies

**A/N: **So then, here's the next one requested by MetaDarkKaabiiIPOD – it thankfully didn't turn out half bad :D Really sorry about the wait, but at least I updated less than a year later. Somehow, Bun and Meta having a guy talk is an angle I had considered whilst writing this, although it wasn't on the story plan, so to speak. Anyway, enjoy.

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**/\/\/\/\ Episode 22 – Decisive Battle on the Lone Island! An Old Soldier Never Dies! /\/\/\/\**

In recent days, it wasn't unusual for Fumu, Bun and Kirby to be doing one thing and then disappearing the next. Like the incident with Kirby's unnatural sleep – it had further entailed a trip to Bababagahara, and they were nowhere to be seen until a few days later.

"If they're going somewhere they shouldn't again, they should at least tell their parents," Blade said grumpily as he closed the door of the Cabinet Minister's quarters. "And Lololo and Lalala are meant to be reliable guardians for them as well." Ever since Memu brought up a truly horrific prospect and consequently fainted in Blade's arms of all places, the knight had been the target of ridicule.

Sword was still snickering at the sight, rendering him unable to speak.

Meta Knight led the way down the corridor, letting his cloak drop to his sides as he walked briskly. "It's not likely they won't have learnt from last time. Which means that it's very likely that something has happened to them."

"Are you quite sure about that? Maybe they just got a little side-tracked and forgot what time it was. Fishing is a very recreational activity – all that sun, vast ocean and away from everything else," Blade reasoned.

The puffball arched an eyebrow as he looked out towards the deep red sky. If Parm and Memu were concerned, it was their duty to either find out what happened to them or bring them home safe. And, if it was the former, then time was running short.

"But you don't think so," Blade deliberated.

Sword readjusted his helmet, which had somehow gone askew in his amusement. "What shall we do, sir?"

Meta Knight didn't waste a moment. "You two stick with His Majesty. If there's a demon beast out there, try and find out as much information as you can about it. I'll look around the village."

The two knaves exchanged looks. "Sir…let's find them."

Although Meta Knight had nodded at that point, his trip to the village led him no closer to finding them. Everyone who had seen them earlier today had said they were enjoying themselves in the water, and never recalled them coming back. As dusk turned to night, Meta Knight had covered the populated areas as well as Whispy Woods and Kabu's Valley, in case their raft had somehow washed up there. He was starting to grow tired, but he willed himself to search harder.

The first lights in Pupu Village lit up as Meta Knight proceeded to the very cliff he and his subordinates had watched the events of the RoboPup. The open stretch of navy above was getting so dark the horizon distinguishing between sky and sea was near non-existent. The waters, as the puffball peered over the edge, were calm and lapped against the rocks gently. So calm that, as he let his eyes study the water, there was absolutely nothing that broke its surface.

Off all the places they were last seen, the sea was the one place beyond Meta Knight's capabilities. A sheet that stretched out for eternity that simultaneously spelt death and beauty. He used to skim colossal bodies of water, travelling from one island to the next with ease, but that was a long time ago. Before he even came to Pupupuland.

He had the wings of a demon beast once. They hadn't bothered his first friend, Jecra, to start off with, but like anyone would he grew wary of them. They were a phenomenon that associated Meta Knight with the enemy, and at the back of his mind he began to wonder if the puffball himself was a spy. Meta Knight had answered that accusation in an act that truly defined him as a Star Warrior – he asked Sir Arthur to clip him.

But now, those wings could have proved to be useful.

He had considered they had drowned (a pessimist notion even for his standards), yet with the recent friendship with Kine and Kirby's code to help his friends in need, the prospect was unlikely. He had also considered them ending up in a cove, unable to get their bearings right until dawn. That seemed a little more hopeful.

There was nothing else he could do now, and that made him feel more helpless than ever. He rarely displayed emotions to anyone – it was only when he was alone that he honestly felt how small and useless he was. It had only taken a few hours for the three to disappear off the island, and how quickly that had happened only proved to Meta Knight that things couldn't be taken for granted. He should have stayed with them more, observing them to make sure they didn't stray too far. He should have realised that, as it was, he couldn't afford to lose any of them.

He didn't want to lose anyone else.

* * *

Meta Knight was on edge for the next few days, even when Sword and Blade had confirmed the 'good' news that a demon beast had been ordered recently. He couldn't keep still, leaving the castle for most hours of the day and stood on the same cliff, hoping to catch sight of the raft on the horizon.

Therefore, although he didn't show it, he was just as relieved to see Fumu, Bun and Kirby back in one piece as their parents were.

Memu embraced her son first, kissing his forehead excessively and consequently Bun's cheeks flushed red. Her daughter came next, followed by a long lecture that was well-deserved after her long hours of worrying. Parm, although just as worried, refrained from making a public scene and instead heard the series of events from Lololo and Lalala.

The King and Escargon were in a state on the motor boat (he also noted the jeep had gone missing), both rocking in discomfort and shock. The King's clothes were somewhat tattered, and perhaps a bit of his normally overbearing pride was in a similar state. His subordinates were there with them, but anything they did to reassure them went amiss.

Then, much to everyone's surprise, Bun approached Meta Knight with confidence.

The puffball arched an eyebrow. Indeed, things had never been the same since Bababagahara, the time he had spared praiseworthy words for Bun. "What is it?"

Bun grinned. "You'll never guess where we went."

Meta Knight's eyes lifted towards Lololo. "From what I heard, you went to a different island. I hope your endeavour was an interesting one."

"You bet," the boy said excitedly. "We even met an old friend of yours. Dakonyo – he says hi."

The Star Warrior laughed so loud that even Memu stopped lecturing Fumu and both girls raised their heads. He brought a hand to his temple, hardly paying attention to Bun's expression of mild shock. It was very likely that his eyes appeared to be shining pink. "Dakonyo…I haven't heard that name in a while. I wouldn't have expected him to be here."

Bun tapped the puffball's shoulder plate and the two led the party back to the castle. "Were you two close then?"

"Not close, no," Meta Knight said as he brought his cloak around himself. His laughter stopped as quickly as it had come, but that didn't mean that he wasn't in incredibly good spirits. These long days of despair, and now the arrival of not just his new friends, but an old one too. "He worked alongside Sir Falspar. Dakonyo was definitely good at what he did – gearing up new recruits and teaching them the harshness of the world. It was a job most didn't want to take on simply because they didn't have the balance of strictness and compassion. Dakonyo was very brave, in that respect."

"Yeah, we got a fair bit of that," Bun agreed as he brought his hands behind his head. "I really missed our mum's cooking – we had to run all day, and then had to work to get food. It was really tough. I don't want to do something like that ever again. I'm glad to be back."

Meta Knight smiled broadly. "That sounds just like him." He let his eyes drift towards the sky. "He disappeared from the battlefield one day, and in an ironic turn of events, he ended up here."

"That's what he said. When we got there, he even thought the war was still going on."

"Solitude does that to a soldier," Meta Knight replied grimly. "When you've been on the battlefield, you don't really leave it. It still lingers at the back of your mind, and a part of you is always ready to run back to it."

Bun pouted somewhat. "I guess I'll never properly understand you. Or Sword or Blade, for that matter. But by finding out there's more of your old friends around…does that help?"

"Of course," Meta Knight said through a smile. On the other hand, it was a way to open up old wounds. His encounter with Knuckle Joe was enough, and bringing out the past only made him regret his actions more. He chose not to say that out loud though – he didn't want to ruin Bun's spirits. "But perhaps, with your four days of coaching, you'll have a different perspective?"

Bun grinned wider as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose, at least for a few days. Like I said though, I look forward to having some decent food. You know, on the first night, we were minding our own business, cooking some fish that we caught…"

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N:** Wow, this really hits him back to the war days XD And it's going to get better – next is episode 24: Visiting Ninja Benikage. But who cares about Benikage really, next chapter stars Yamikage! Umbreon Mastah finally gets her ninja, a good three years later…

So then, hope you enjoyed the read and let me know what you thought of it!


	16. 24: Visiting Ninja, Benikage

**A/N: **I had the most hilarious time writing Yamikage! He's so sarky and so up-himself you just want to punch him XD I do hope I've done him justice, since this is the only episode we see him after all. I don't know if anyone else is familiar with Ivyna's comic with Yamikage getting lost at the end, but I figured this is probably the more sensible way a clearly evil ninja would go! It's also been a while since I've done a single section chapter...

If Umbreon Mastah's reading this after all this time, this is for you! Hope you enjoy it.

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**/\/\/\/\ Episode 24 – Visiting Ninja, Benikage /\/\/\/\**

"Yamikage…Who is he, exactly?"

Meta Knight gave Sword a pointed look. The three were in the throne room with the doors wide open. Since the incident in the clearing, where Meta Knight and Yamikage had exchanged looks for a mere four seconds, everything had been decided then.

He had been serving Holy NightMare ever since the war had finished. There was still a score to settle with him since the ninja had turned on his allies.

"Please refrain from talking." Ninjas were skilled in espionage and getting about, but it didn't change the fact that Yamikage had to use the throne room to get back to Nightmare's side. What's more, if he knew there was company waiting, the ninja would most certainly win in the battle of patience. All three of them had to be on red alert if they were to hear him coming.

Blade shrugged as Sword considered asking him what was going on. The two were almost completely in the dark – all they knew was that Meta Knight had frozen when he had seen the delivery system's history. That was enough for them to know that this demon beast was on a different level to everything else so far.

Despite their precautions, Yamikage simply entered the room like any other person would.

His foreboding aura sent shivers down both Sword's and Blade's spine. This was the first time they had seen a true ninja (everyone in town, including the King, pretending they were one didn't count) and all their expectations couldn't match those deep crimson eyes. Yamikage looked directly at them, then finally at the puffball.

"Meta Knight. I knew you would be here." His voice was smooth but far from gentle, more like flat. There was a certain harshness that came with it, toeing the thin line between cautious and rude.

Meta Knight grimaced under his mask. "Yamikage," he acknowledged as he took a single step closer. The ninja didn't back down, instead challenging the authority by also inching forwards not one, but two steps. "Did you miss me?"

Yamikage laughed callously. Regardless of the mask, it still boomed across the throne room. "Miss you? I thought you had died on the battlefield. Why would I miss a corpse?" He folded his arms menacingly. "Answer me this: Do you still plan to go against Nightmare? Even though all your comrades-in-arms have died trying?"

"It would be a shame to their memory if I don't," the puffball countered.

Sword mentally cheered on his superior. Although he had no idea of the magnitude of their history, even he could tell that it was better if he kept his nose out of it. Once the whole matter died down, then he'd ask his lord what it was all about. But if they didn't have such a history, the banter didn't look too far off a pair of bickering brothers constantly trying to one-up the other.

"How pointless." Yamikage tossed his head, the incredible air of arrogance amplifying tenfold. "Do you honestly believe you can win with sidekicks like them and a town as mindless as this?"

Blade would have retaliated if he wasn't given orders to remain by the throne, where the controls of the delivery system were. Instead, he channelled that building anger towards the hilt of his sword. If he needed to interfere, he would. Just so that he could see a look other than composure on that ninja's face.

Meta Knight made a sound of agreement. "It will take a while to bring them to speed, but when the time is right, we will start the GSA anew."

The ninja gave a nasty sneer. Invisible, but evident from the scrunching of the fabric. "I was intent on settling matters with you here and now, but I am curious as to what this new GSA amounts to. If it uses a few citizens as its foundations, then even with you as their figurehead, I don't think Nightmare needs to be worried in the slightest."

"I guess I can assume you think that little of Kirby as well?"

"He's a worthy adversary, I assure you that," Yamikage said dismissively. He took a step closer, but Meta Knight didn't move from his spot. "But someone as immature and absent-minded as him is not going to last very long as it is. He'll be disposed before too long, one way or another."

"Perhaps," Meta Knight agreed, "but what doesn't kill him makes him stronger. That will be the mistake Holy NightMare would have made."

Yamikage snorted through his nose with dripping content. "Or, more accurately, you'll protect him if the going gets tough," he corrected as his eyes narrowed considerably. "I look forward to what sort of soldier he becomes when you babysit him like so. A man who can't even hold his own sword steady may as well fall on it."

Meta Knight didn't reply. Yamikage had sparred with numerous colleagues, learning tactics as they went and mastering the techniques that have been handed down for generations. His methods of training Kirby…Were they the ones of the army or of a father figure? When given the scenario, could he stand by and watch, considering the experience to be of more importance than safety?

"You're too soft, Meta Knight," Yamikage surmised. And with that, he boldly walked across the room. The room seemed to stand still as he did so, and the silence still ensued even when he was directly in front of Blade.

At a loss of what to do, Meta Knight gave his subordinate the go-ahead. Although letting Yamikage go wasn't what he had intended, their short time together was enough to put matters into perspective. The ninja was as smarmy as his memory had served but, regardless of his motives now, he still had respectable morals. Despite the fact they stood on common but shaky ground, Yamikage was simply a threat that would have to wait for another day.

Blade stepped away from the controls reluctantly, making sure to give Yamikage a glare as he did so. Like most of his facial expressions though, it went unnoticed.

At the centre of the room, the delivery service whirled to life and mercifully, the screen and phone line had been disabled. The lights blinked ferociously as it processed coordinates and communication with presumably its linking counterpart, most likely in Holy NightMare itself or very close to it.

Once preparations were complete, Yamikage back flipped onto the centre platform and made sure to look at the puffball in the eyes. Between the two, it was unlikely either of them would yield right to the last second. "Until we meet again, Meta Knight."

**/\/\/\/\ End /\/\/\/\**

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**A/N:** And here we finish up the flashback saga…oh wait, that might not be necessarily true. Cos guess what!? It's finally Episode 26: Loyalty Sword and Blade next! It was requested by a whopping five people and I'm sure that there are just as many waiting on the sidelines XD I'll try and get it done as quick as I can, but at the same time it's going to be special since it's, you know, quite a big deal.

Anyway, to keep me motivated, please let me know what you thought of this update and please stick around!


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